Alaska Weather
Before embarking on any Alaskan adventure, be it a short hike in the mountains near town or an all-day outing farther afield, checking the weather is imperative. A bluebird morning can change by afternoon, temperatures fluctuate throughout the day and by elevation, and wind direction affects how warm or cold the air feels.
Recommended Weather Resources
The National Weather Service is a great tool for seeing the overall picture of what the weather is doing and what is forecast for specific locations. For example, a search for Palmer yields current temperature, wind speed and direction, visibility in miles, and windchill, among other metrics. It also includes a 7-day forecast. While forecasts are constantly updated using the latest data, a quick check of this site is a good place to start.
Windy is a private company owned by its founder and employees; it launched in 2014 and has been adding functionality ever since. Its free website and app are visually colorful and useful for finding wind speed and temperature across a region or specific place, while additional features include a plethora of other handy items: radar, satellite, snow depth, freezing altitude, sea temperature, tidal currents, fire danger, and much more. Click any spot on the globe to get current conditions and a forecast for that location.
FAA webcams around Alaska are especially fun to peruse. Each shows 3 or 4 recent images of different directions. They can be an easy way to see if cloud banks are forming nearby, or if that locale is socked in with rain or fog.
For the real weather nerds out there (we consider ourselves in that category!) watching the National Weather Service Alaska Region’s YouTube channel helps you gain an understanding of typical weather patterns around the state.
While climate differs from weather, a look at the bigger picture of climate impacts on Alaska contributes to a better understanding of how weather patterns are changing. The International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks publishes an easy-to-read report covering storms, Indigenous voices, permafrost, glaciers, and more.