What follows is a forecast discussion and some useful general weather info for our region.
When I share weather updates on air and online over the weekend, I never do it to alarm people, but I know weather plays a big role in our lives out here and one of my goals with KSKO is to make sure you have the info you need to make the decisions that need to be made. I know frigid cold, while were used to it, can have an impact on what we do and how we do it.
When we started looking at the forecast for this week on Friday, it was looking like we could be in for some fairly frigid weather with daytime highs no warmer then 25 below and night time lows around 40 below.
As we got into Saturday and a forecast update was released, the really arctic air that was supposed to make its way in starting sometime Saturday back off another day or so. Last weeks original forecast for Saturday night was in the upper 20s below zero, and yesterday, it was revised to the teens and lower 20s below zero. I woke up to 7 below at 7am.
The forecast for the Upper Kuskowkim is 11 below..
it looks like that artic blast is supposed to make its way in tonight, with lows 25 to 37 below and close too the same for tomorrow night
Whats also a bit different as we go through the week is the forecast has gotten a bit "Warmer", if we can call it that. Monday and Tuesday at going to be in the mid teens to mid 20s below zero, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday will be around 20 below. Lows Tuesday night through the week towards the weekend will be 30 to 35 below.
While thats still cold, it is a bit warmer than the 25 to 35 below highs and lows 35 to 40 below.
It should also be said that the forecast will probably change a bit as we make our way into the week, as it always seems to.. and what will change is those temps... up or down? We'll see.
Weather forecasting is pretty tough to do out here and so many things can impact the forecast and cause it to change. As many out here now and I've expierienced in 3 years here, the temperature can be a noticeably different between McGrath and Nikolai , just 35 air miles apart.
KSKO's owned and operated FM Repeaters serve an area up to 150 or so away from McGrath (Grayling/Anvik/Shageluk/Holy Cross are roughly 145 air miles away, Sleetmute/Crooked Creek/Red Devil are roughly 105-110 miles away). Grayling,etc are in one forecast zone and Sleetmute/Red Devil/Crooked Creek are in another forecast zone.
What isnt obvious though is that it doesnt take that 100 or 150 miles to get to that new forecast zone, often times, its 50 miles or less form McGrath and you're in a new forecast zone.
I also see people talking about "The weather apps on their phone being wrong" when it comes to temperature, the problem is.. those apps don't often tell you WHERE the forecast or current temperature is being pulled from.. and if a certain set of automated weather observation gear is done at a particular site that the app usually uses, it'll go to another site... but do you know that? No. I've personally had my weather app be 5 to 15 degrees off from what I know the temperature to be.
If you want to be sure you have the most accurate, current weather info, temperature and forecast, you should use the National Weather Service Website.. it's not as pretty and easy to use as an app, but it's the only source KSKO uses when we bring you weather information. Here are some very important and useful weather forecast links:
Upper Kuskokwim Valley Weather Forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ852
Lower Yukon & Innoko Valley's Forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ830
Lower Kuskokwim Valley Forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ152
For our listeners in Fort Yukon, this is the Yukon Flats forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ833
Fairbanks forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ844
Anchorage forecast:
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AKZ102
Each zone shows a temperature for a particular community in that zone. Not every community has an automated weather observation system in it, but many do. If you click those links and want to see the temperature in your community, just go to the upper left, type in your zip code or community name, it'll populate the suggestion field, click it, then hit enter.
I hope some of you have found this useful. When I started typing this, I didn't intend on it being this long but as I went, I came across more and more useful weather info I felt I wanted to share. I know... winter and cold is nothing we arent used to and I've probably told some people stuff they already know, but I hope I'm sharing new info or educating our new residents.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Paul Walker
KSKO Program Director
Responses
Thank you for using McGrathAlaska.net's Community Message Board!