The extreme cold and hazardous blizzard conditions could pose significant risks to residents, travelers, and outdoor workers.
NWS Alaska meteorologist Tim Markle said the warnings are designed to let community members know when the cold weather presents a risk to the community. However, the old system set wind chill warnings and advisories, which were statewide in scope, and only kicked in when there was a wind chill.
Snowfall up to an inch per hour in parts of town left vehicles sliding off local roads, according to meteorologists and police.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued several winter weather alerts for Alaska, with some areas expected to get up to 20 inches of snow while parts of the state are experiencing unusually warm temperatures. Alaska, known for its extremely cold and snowy climate, has experienced some rare warm weather this month.
The National Weather Service is calling for a series of atmospheric rivers to descend on Southcentral over the weekend.
The weather service warned of 30 to 45 mph winds, with gusts up to 80 mph, for higher elevations around Anchorage and Eagle River.
Cairo and its ancient pyramids sits on nearly the exact same line of latitude as the Mississippi Coast. Weather there on Wednesday peaked at 71 degrees with a light rain around noon. Dead pharaohs can expect temps to rest in the upper 60s for the remainder of the week.
New Orleans has received more snowfall since the start of meteorological winter than many cold-weather cities across the country.
Expect temperatures to get warmer during the days through the weekend, but overnight lows will still be freezing for most of North and Central Florida.
The weather has even affected some outdoor activities here in Anchorage. The Anchorage Parks and Rec had to cancel one of their family skating events due to the melting ice at Westchester Lagoon, but they're hoping for cooler temperatures for their next event this weekend.
It’s been warmer in Alaska than in three dozen other states. If someone asked you, “Where can I go in the United States to escape the frigid air this January?” what would you say?
Unusually cold temperatures in central Florida have led to winter weather advisories, while Alaska has experienced some rare warm weather this month.