Winter weather seems to have arrived early for Alaska after meteorologists reported that the state will experience wintry conditions this week.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a winter storm system over the Gulf of Alaska is continuing to bring hazardous travel conditions for the southern and central parts of Alaska. The weather hazards include heavy snow, rough seas, and a combination of wintry, ice accumulations.
The severe winter weather forecast for Alaska comes as the East Coast of the United States is also expected to experience the same winter conditions, especially from New York to interior New England.
Furthermore, the US winter weather forecast was made after weather experts in the country declared the end of the US Atlantic hurricane season. This assessment is based on recent data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), which has not recorded any storms in the Atlantic Ocean over recent days.
Severe Winter Weather Forecast
In its new short-range forecast, the NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) at 3:00 a.m. EST (local time) on Thursday, November 9, highlights the potential adverse weather impact of a looming winter storm system in Alaska. With this, a severe winter weather alert was issued for most parts of the state at least starting Thursday. The Alaska severe winter weather forecast is valid until Saturday, November 11.
The winter weather hazards mentioned earlier are expected to hit the central, southern, and southeastern regions of Alaska with heavy precipitation and strong winds. In the coming hours, dangerous travel conditions, both on land and air, are expected due to the potential for poor air visibility caused by whiteout conditions from heavy snow. Power outages are also possible as power lines may get damaged.
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Winter Weather Alert
The NWS Forecast Office in Anchorage, Alaska, has issued varying winter weather alert for Alaska, including watches, warnings, and advisories across the state. The following below is some of the hazards and their respective alerts:
- Blizzard Warning for Northeast Prince William Sound
- Winter Storm Warnings for Copper River Basin, Anchorage, and other areas
- Winter Weather Advisories for East Turnagain Arm, Western Kenai Peninsula, Western Prince William Sound, and Matanuska Valley, and other areas
- Wind Advisories for Delta Junction, Central Interior, Dalton Highway Summits, South Slopes of the Central Brooks Range, White Mountains, High Terrain South of the Yukon River, and other areas
- Winter Storm Watches for Baldwin Peninsula, Bering Strait Coast, and other areas
- High Wind Warnings for Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp, Southeast Prince William Sound, and other areas
- Flood Watches in East Turnagain Arm and Anchorage
The upcoming early-season winter storm may cause widespread disruption not only across Alaska but also throughout the Northeast US this week. In December 2022, the North American winter storm before New Year caused catastrophic winter weather hazards, including blizzards, heavy rain, and record-breaking temperatures, leaving more than 100 human fatalities and disrupting multiple flights.
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