Rain

There are two areas of concern across the state.  The west coast has seen rain all morning.  West of Nome and into Southwest Alaska, rain will continue throughout the day.  The other part of the state seeing too much water is the central and eastern Interior.  Bands of heavy rain have been observed, leading to flooding worries.  More on that in a bit. An occluded front, associated with an upper low moving out of Siberia into the northern Bering...

Warm, tropical air is being drawn into the state along a strong upper level jet.  This is a classic "Pineapple Express", with a strong ridge over the eastern Pacific and western Lower 48 forcing this rich moisture to the north into Alaska.  Snow and rain have been heavy at times along the southern coastline and will continue today. A Chinook wind in Anchorage didn't materialize, although temperatures in the higher elevations of the city have climbed above freezing.  This storm has made a mess of many locales, however.  Sloppy wet snow and periods of rain with temperatures in the 30s and 40s have been reported around Bristol Bay, the Alaska Peninsula, the Kenai Peninsula, PWS, and the northern SE Panhandle.  Moisture has been much more limited in the Interior, but this warm southerly flow has brought an end to the biting cold for many areas.  Temperatures are some 25 to 40 degrees warmer this morning than yesterday morning.

by Maria Downey Friday, June 25, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Willow Creek fire 10 miles southwest of Fairbanks has slowed its expansion because of damp weather. According to the Fire Information Center, the wildfire is now at 2,300 acres. Light rain Thursday night helped lessen fire activity and smoke in the area. Because the fire is burning on military land filled with unexploded ordnance, fire crews are not entering the area on foot. Instead, they are using helicopters and boats to keep an eye on the fire's progress.

Going into this storm much of the concern was on the wind, but now it's moved to the rain and rising waters around Anchorage.      Westchester Lagoon had waters rise so high that the Public Works Department had to take action and open a water by pass syetem, also known as a flood gate. "We started seeing blockage around Arctic and at that time we came here and decided to open this and give a little relief,” said Public Works Department General Foreman Paul VanLandingham.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings in several locations throughout Southcentral Alaska. A flood warning was issued for Chester Creek in Anchorage until 5 p.m. Sunday. Moderate rainfall across Anchorage during the morning hours is expected to generate considerable runoff into the creek. Light to moderate rains are expected for the remainder of the morning. The National Weather Service forecasted water levels to reach about 5 feet on the creek monitoring gauge by early Sunday afternoon.

We tend to think of Memorial Day weekend as the first unofficial weekend of summer but we're not seeing a summery blast across much of the state.  An area of low pressure is south of the Alaska Peninsula. The jet stream is south of the state and guiding that system into the Gulf of Alaska.  With the flow of the jet going almost due east, the push from this system won't send much rain too far inland.  Coastal areas can expect to see the brunt of this rain. Mostly cloudy and scattered rain showers through the weekend for Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valleys and the Kenai Peninsula.

by Jackie Bartz Monday, February 15, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Avalanche danger is high across Southcentral Alaska. Avalanche experts say people need to know what the conditions are like before they head out. A skier was killed on Saturday near Eagle River above Hiland road after investigators say he triggered an avalanche, and ConocoPhillips Alaska president Jim Bowles was killed and another snowmachiner is missing in an avalanche...

Much of Southcentral Alaska has been placed under a weekend flood watch Friday, as forecasters predict a tropical weather front with warm winds moving into the area and changing snow into rain -- a combination expected to drastically increase avalanche danger. A flurry of National Weather Service bulletins issued Friday call for a flood watch in the region, including Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, the western Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound. The watch is expected to remain in effect until Monday morning.

An upper level low pressure area continues to slowly make it's way into the northern Gulf of Alaska.  Cyclonic flow around the low is drawing copious low level moisture into the SE Panhandle, Southcentral, and the central and eastern Interior. Rain will continue into the evening in SE, PWS, the Alaska Range, along with Fairbanks and surrounding communities.  Some of the showers may be heavy. Rain is still falling from earlier this morning over the Lower Kuskokwim in SW.  A band of rain extends to the SE toward Bristol Bay.  Widely scattered showers are possible there into tonight.

Anchorage missed a record high yesterday by only 2 degrees.  Sunshine and low 50s return today before clouds increase overnight and a shower or two tries to develop this weekend. Southeast will remain damp all day, especially from Juneau southward.  Highs will top out in the upper 40s and low 50s.  Rain showers will push into the northern Panhandle, but this rain activity is expected to be spottier and lighter.  The strong winds that have whipped around the southern Panhandle will ease to less than 20 mph late this morning.  The west coast will stay chilly.  A weak northerly flow at the surface is being supported by stronger flow aloft advecting cold air through the Bering Sea and right along the coast.  Highs in Bethel and Nome will remain below freezing.  Teens are in the forecast for the Slope.