Kotzebue, Alaska 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

725
FXAK69 PAFG 282356
AFDAFG

Northern Alaska Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
356 PM AKDT Sun Jun 28 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
With a cold front having passed through a good portion of the
state, cooler conditions have begun to settle in as the front as
continues to lift north across the Northern Interior towards the
Brooks Range and North Slope. Scattered showers will continue
across most of Northern Alaska today, with the heaviest, more
steady precipitation amounts expected in the Brooks and Alaska
Ranges. Colder temperatures accompanying this system will support
light snow across highest elevations of the Brooks and Alaska
Ranges in addition to the Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast around Point
Thomson and Kaktovik. We have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for
a wintry mix of rain, snow, and freezing rain expected. Colder
and unsettled conditions will continue over the next several days
as a broad troughing pattern sets up over Northern Alaska.
Thunderstorm chances will be minimal today, but will pick back up
starting Monday across the Southeast Interior as an easterly wave
builds over the Eastern Alaska Range.

&&

.KEY WEATHER MESSAGES...

Central and Eastern Interior...

- Scattered showers will continue across the Interior following a
  departing cold front lifting north. Additional rainfall amounts
  through Tuesday will be around a T-0.25" in the Tanana Valley,
  0.25-0.75" in the Alaska Range, and 0.10-0.25" north of the
  Tanana.

- Minimal coverage of thunderstorms today will give way to
  isolated thunderstorms Monday onwards for the Upper Tanana and
  Fortymile Country.

- Below normal highs in the 50s/60s have returned across the
  Interior today, which will continue early this week. Gradually
  warming temperatures are expected back by midweek.

West Coast and Western Interior...

- A cold front will continue to lift north across Western Alaska
  today with scattered to widespread showers, southwest wind
  gusts up to 30 mph, and accompanying colder temperatures.

- While the bulk of rainfall has already fallen from the cold
  front, additional widespread moderate amounts will shift north
  throughout the day today. Scattered showers will continue early
  to mid next week as a Bering Sea low moves inland.

- Highs in the 50s/60s today which will continue into early next
  week. Gradually warming temperatures are expected back by
  midweek. Locally cooler conditions will exist along the coast.

North Slope and Brooks Range..

- A cold front will continue to lift north across far Northern
  Alaska today into Monday with scattered showers and wind gusts
  up to 30 mph.

- Additional rainfall amounts with this system through Monday are
  expected to be around 0.25-0.75" in the Brooks Range and a
  0.10-0.40" across the Southeast Arctic Plains and Eastern
  Beaufort Sea Coast east of Deadhorse.

- Snow showers will be possible across highest elevations of the
  Brooks Range and across the Arctic Coast from Point Thomson east
  to Kaktovik, where a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from
  10 PM tonight to 10 PM Monday for a rain/snow mix and freezing
  rain amounts of around a T-0.10".

- While temperatures will see a cooling trend in the Brooks Range
  into early next week, southerly flow will lead to warming
  conditions across the North Slope. Highs regionwide will trend
  to being in the 40s/50s/60s Sunday into Monday.

&&

.FORECAST ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...Today through Tuesday Night.
Early afternoon satellite imagery shows a 546 dm low centered
over Nunivak Island with a 577 dm ridge of high pressure centered
over Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. In between these
two features, a cold front and shortwave trough continue to lift
north, with the boundary extending from the Seward Peninsula
through the Northern Interior towards the Alcan Border. Breezy
wind gusts up to 30 mph have filled in behind the passing front,
with winds remaining elevated into Monday.

Colder temperatures accompanying the front has conditions feeling
more like fall out there for most across Northern Alaska, which
will remain conducive for high elevation snow in the Brooks and
Alaska Ranges, including also along the Eastern Beaufort Sea
Coast. Warmer air overunning colder air at the surface from Point
Thomson to Kaktovik will lead to a rain/snow mix and freezing
rain in this region, with a Winter Weather Advisory now in effect
from 10 PM Sunday to 10 PM Monday for possible ice accumulations

Early this week, a broad upper level troughing pattern is looking
to settle in across the state. This will continue to bring cooler
temperature and isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms
through the middle portions of the week. Isolated convection is
expected to return to the Fortymile, Upper Tanana, and Alaska
Range starting Monday afternoon, with those chances expanding
towards midweek as temperatures see a gradual warming trend.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Fire weather across much of the state will moderate through the
start of the week, with general troughing moving around the west
coast, south central, and into the Yukon. Anticipate chances for
continued light rain showers bringing wetting rains, with
temperatures remaining below 75F and min RH likely above 40
percent, through Tuesday. There exists some possibility of a
thunderstorm or two out in Fortymile and the eastern AK range
Monday and Tuesday afternoon; however, for the rest of the region
thunderstorm chances remain near 0 percent. These storms will not
be as prolific as the previous week. One note is that while the
majority of the area will see light rain showers with wetting
rains, the Central Interior and western Yukon Flats could be a bit
drier from southerly flow coming down the AK range and White
Mountains. Wednesday most of the Southwest area, Central/Western
Interior, and Yukon Flats will see a brief break in rain, with min
RH creeping back down to 30 to 40 percent and temps in the low to
mid 70s.

Along the Northwest Arctic Coast snow is likely mid-week. Stay
tuned.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
Roughly 1-1.5" of rain has fallen across much of the Yukon Flats
and parts of the Fortymile. This represents a 1 in 25 year
precipitation event for isolated locations. This has led to some
sharp rives rises, but no flooding has been reported. The ongoing
system will continue to move north. Another 0.5" of rain is
expected over the Brooks Range near Atigun Pass before the system
dissipates. Expect continued rises and higher water, especially
for the Fortymile and Slate Creek near Coldfoot, with no flooding
expected at this time.

&&

.EXTENDED FORECAST DAYS 4-7...Wednesday through next Saturday
Upper level troughing persists into the late week, as model
guidance has kept chances for ridging to the south. As a result,
scattered showers will be likely across Northern Alaska, with the
highest chances over the Upper Tanana Valley, Alaska Range, and
Eastern Brooks Range. The lowest chances are expected for the
Western North Slope and Arctic Coast as a high pressure system
over the Arctic Ocean acts as a barrier for moisture traveling
north of the Brooks Range. Daily, at least isolated thunderstorm
chances are expected to to return across the Interior as
temperatures see a gradual warming trend by mid to late week.

Coastal Hazard Potential Days 3 and 4...None

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AK...Winter Weather Advisory for AKZ805.
PK...Small Craft Advisory for PKZ856.
&&

$$

SYNOPSIS.......MacKay
KEY MESSAGES...MacKay
SHORT TERM.....MacKay
FIRE WEATHER...AP
HYDROLOGY......APRFC
LONG TERM......AS