739 FXAK69 PAFG 251038 AFDAFG Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fairbanks AK 238 AM AKDT Sat Oct 25 2025 .SYNOPSIS...Light snow tapers off across most of Northern Alaska by Sunday and dry and quiet conditions set in through most of next week. The one exception will be for St. Lawrence Island and the Yukon Delta on Sunday and Sunday night where a tightly wound low pressure system will bring a bring burst of wind and snow showers with southeast winds gusting to 35 mph. Temperatures will be near to above normal with periods of clearing and mostly light winds. North winds increase through the Bering Strait and across Western Capes (Hooper Bay, Wales, St. Lawrence Island) late next week along with increasing snow showers. && .KEY WEATHER MESSAGES... Central and Eastern Interior... - Light snow continues across the interior through Saturday then gradually ends Saturday night. An event total of around 1-2" of snow is expected in most places. - Mainly dry conditions Sunday through most of next week. - Breaks in the clouds spread eastward on Sunday and continue at times through next week. Fresh snow allows for cooler temperatures perhaps in the single digits under clear skies, but generally above normal temperatures prevail. - The next chance for 1+" of snow looks to be late next week when another frontal boundary spins north into the interior from a Gulf of Alaska low. Increasing chances for snow next weekend and early next week. West Coast and Western Interior... - Light snow east of Galena and over the NWAB tapers off today. - Mostly clear skies follow the light snow with fresh snow cover allowing for cooler temperatures perhaps in the single digits under clear skies. However, generally above normal temperatures prevail with lows in the teens and highs in the 20s. - Mainly dry for most of next week. - Increasing north winds to small craft or Gale force Thursday and Friday along with snow showers through the Bering Strait and over St. Lawrence Island and Western Capes. North Slope and Brooks Range... - Generally 1-3" of snow through Sunday night across the area, except locally higher amounts of 5-6" from Point Hope to Cape Lisburne. - Winds everywhere continue to decrease then turn offshore on Sunday as a weak frontal system arrives from the south. - Temperatures hold steady with highs in the 20s across the North Slope and single digits and teens in the Brooks Range. Lows mostly in the teens and 20s, with single digits above and below zero in the Brooks Range Sunday into Monday when less clouds are expected. && .FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...A messy and disorganized pattern with weak features engulfed within a broad trough will bring mostly quiet weather to Northern Alaska through most of next week. Remnant moisture from a Gulf of Alaska low that moved inland is moving northward across the state as colder air filters in from the west. This is squeezing light snow out of what is left of the moisture. The moisture will move north of the Arctic coast by Sunday afternoon, leaving dry conditions across the area through much of next week. The one exception will be over St. Lawrence Island where a tightly wound low will bring snow and wind on Sunday. The Yukon Delta will also be impacted mainly Sunday night. Fortunately this looks like a brief event with winds 20-25 mph and gusts 30-35 mph. Areas of blowing snow may reduce visibility at times. Otherwise, high pressure building over the state and in the Arctic will bring cooler temperatures and periods of clearing. A couple of strong surface lows look to move into the Gulf of Alaska late in the week. This will cause increased northerly winds through the Bering Strait and likely snow showers over western capes and St. Lawrence Island. && .HYDROLOGY...No concerns. Freezeup is beginning across the area and expected to continue as temperatures drop next week. Lakes across the Yukon Delta have been reported as frozen, and an observer in Emmonak reports they are starting to see frazil ice in the river and lakes have 1-2" of ice. Main stem rivers further north may begin to see pan ice flowing downstream. && .EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7... Overall pattern will remain fairly quiet over northern Alaska with the majority of the state continuing to be under a "troughy" pattern. All global models are hinting at multiple well defined low pressure systems to rotate along the bottom of the overall trough axis and into the Gulf of Alaska. The beginning of the period will start off with southerly flow dominating the eastern portion of the state. This will allow for potentially clearer and calmer conditions, which may allow for temperatures to get down to normal for this time of year. The ECMWF and Canadian are in agreement for 960mb low to move into the northern portion of the Gulf late Wednesday night. If the strength and structure of this system were to remain as models are showing, it could bring a good chance for scattered snow showers across the Interior beginning Thursday. This would be along a front that would progress from the SE to the NW. The overall troughy pattern is looking to continue well into next weekend, accompanied by scattered snow showers across the state. Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None && .AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AK...None. PK...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ816-817-851-854. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for PKZ861. && $$ Chriest