Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, April 21 to 23, 2026

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
Issued by National Weather Service Anchorage AK
223 PM AKDT Tue Apr 21 2026

.SYNOPSIS...

Upper level troughing currently over Northern Alaska will stretch
and weaken as it makes its way northeast today. Various embedded
shortwaves may continue to promote light snow and snow/rain
showers through this evening for Central/Eastern Interior and
along the North Slope east of Deadhorse. High amplitude, upper
level ridging moves southwest to northeast across much of the
State of Alaska over the next couple of days, bringing milder
conditions to much of the Central/Northern Interior and much of
the North Slope for Wednesday through Wednesday night. A Bering
Sea low is expected to approach Southwest Alaska by early
Wednesday morning, bringing strong easterly/northeasterly winds to
the West Coast and parts of the Interior, including southerly gap
winds in the Alaska Range passes through the weekend. A
northeast-moving warm front attached to the aforementioned low
will bring snow and rain to the West Coast Wednesday morning through
early Thursday morning before tracking into the Interior and
North Slope later Thursday morning with rain and snow chances
likely to persist through the weekend. A warmer airmass flowing
in behind the warm front will allow temperatures to increase
across Northern Alaska, introducing more spring-like conditions.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...

Central and Eastern Interior...

- Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 10 PM tonight
  for the Central and Eastern Interior for snow and blowing snow.

- Snow and gusty winds will continue through this evening as
  remnant embedded shortwaves pass through the region. Conditions
  are expected to improve from west to east as a colder and drier
  airmass moves through.

- A warm front moves through Wednesday, bringing warmer
  temperatures and a rain/snow mix through the end of the week.

- Strong southerly flow off the Alaska Range will allow
  temperatures to push into the 40's and possibly low 50's towards
  the end of the week.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- Gusty winds, snow and a rain/snow mix move into the West Coast
  and Western Interior as a series of fronts extending off a
  Bering Sea low move over the region.

- Winter Storm Watches remain in effect tonight through Thursday
  for the Y-K Delta north to Kotzebue and out to St Lawrence
  Island for possible blizzard conditions.

- Rain and rain/snow spills into the Western Interior by Wednesday
  morning with the approach of a Bering Sea front. Snowfall totals
  of 2 to 6 inches prior to any mixing possible. Lower amounts
  expected in the valleys with higher amounts expected along
  terrain above 1000ft.

North Slope and Brooks Range..

- Light snow showers will continue into this evening as upper
  level troughing continues to lift northeast, primarily for
  eastern areas.

- A Bering Sea front lifting cross the West Coast and Interior
  will bring widespread snowfall to the Brooks Range and North
  Slope, as well as increased gusty winds.

- Temperatures will warm into the double digits along the North
  Slope by the end of the week, with temperatures along the Brooks
  Range reaching near or above freezing.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...

Light scattered rain and snow showers will continue into this
evening as the upper level trough over the North Slope continues
exiting to the northeast. Ridging will move across the Northern
Interior tomorrow, bringing milder conditions to the Central and
Eastern Interior and North Slope for Wednesday.

The pattern shifts again with the approach of a Bering Sea
warm front moving over the West Coast tonight. Rounds of snow and
strong winds will bombard the western coast, Western Interior, and
St Lawrence Island through Thursday morning, with blizzard
conditions possible. Snowfall amounts will vary, decreasing for
inland areas. Highest snowfall is expected for St Lawrence Island,
who could see a range of 8 to 12 inches of snow with winds
gusting as high as 60 mph. The Y-K Delta Coast can expect snow
accumulations between 4 and 8 inches with winds gusting as high as
45 mph. Elsewhere along the coast from the eastern Norton Sound
to the Bering Strait and Diomede could see between 2 and 6 inches
with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Snow will filter across the
rest of the Western Interior by Wednesday morning.

As the front progresses, snow and/or a rain/snow mix spill into
the Central and Eastern Interior late Wednesday night. A warmer
airmass is expected to trail the front, allowing temperatures to
increase and transition snow to all rain by Thursday.
Light precipitation may linger into the weekend.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...

The Bering Sea triple point low is expected to weaken and lose
energy on Friday, with scattered rain and snow showers continuing
for the Interior and North Slope through the weekend. Highest snow
accumulations are expected for the Western Alaska Range and
Western Alaska. Models are showing another Bering sea low to
approach Southwestern Alaska by early Sunday morning, with the
majority of associated precipitation likely to be rain as a result
of above freezing surface temperatures. This system will continue
to be monitored throughout the week to assess model agreement and
confidence. The higher temperatures brought in by the previous
system's warm air advection are here to stay and will likely be
the introduction for spring in Northern Alaska.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ834-837>850.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ816>818.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ820>824.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ825-826.
     Winter Storm Watch for AKZ827.
PK...None.

&&

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
929 PM AKDT Tue Apr 21 2026

AKZ819-828>830-851-852-230000-
Upper Kobuk Valleys-Lower Koyukuk Valley-Middle Yukon Valley-
Lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys-
North Slopes of the Western Alaska Range-Upper Kuskokwim Valley-
Including Ambler, Shungnak, Kobuk, Huslia, Hughes, Galena,
Nulato, Kaltag, Ruby, Koyukuk, Grayling, Holy Cross, Shageluk,
Anvik, Farewell Lake, McGrath, Nikolai, and Takotna
929 PM AKDT Tue Apr 21 2026

...Another Round of Snow and Rain Wednesday into Thursday...

A Bering Sea Low will bring a front into the Western Interior
with snow and wind beginning Wednesday morning/midday from Holy
Cross to McGrath. The front will move northward through the day
and will be in Ambler around midnight Thursday morning. As the front
lifts northward, temperatures on the south side of it will
approach and exceed 32 degrees. This leaves a chance for rain to
mix in, especially south of Galena Wednesday evening/night.
Snowfall totals through Thursday morning from Anvik to McGrath
northward, prior to any mixing, will be around 3 to 6 inches. The
lowest amounts are expected in the valleys and the highest
amounts expected in the terrain above 1000ft.

BB