A Bering Sea storm will bring heavy snow to Western and Interior Alaska, with the National Weather Service expecting "blizzard conditions" in some areas by Thursday evening.
According to the Weather Service's Alaska region website, a stretch of Western Alaska's coastline extending from Nome almost all the way south to Bethel is under winter storm warnings until at least 3 a.m. Friday. St. Lawrence Island and the coastline of the Bering Strait just north of Nome are under a blizzard warning until noon Friday, with 2 to 7 inches of snow forecast amid winds of up to 50 mph and gusts of up to 65 mph.
A statement issued late Wednesday by meteorologists forecasts "blizzard conditions" developing overnight Wednesday along "much of the west coast of Alaska."
"A strong storm in the central Bering Sea will move to the Yukon Delta Thursday night and over eastern Norton Sound on Friday," forecasters wrote. "The strongest winds and heaviest snow are northeast of the storm and will be impacting the Yukon Delta and St. Lawrence Island tonight and spread northeast on Thursday."
In the Interior, areas as far east as the upper Koyukuk Valley were under winter storm warnings by noon Thursday for up to 8 inches of snow, lasting until at least 3 p.m. Friday.
A summary of the Interior snow and wind forecast said "no significant snow" is expected in Fairbanks until the city faces a chance of major snowfall on Saturday.
"Heavy snow will develop in the Western Interior Thursday and Thursday night," forecasters wrote. "Snow amounts ranging from 4 to 12 inches can be expected in most areas from Thursday through Friday with the heaviest amounts inland."
Much of the snowfall will be concentrated along parts of the Dalton Highway, according to the forecast.
"The snow will fall through Friday with the heaviest snow Thursday night," forecasters wrote. "Between 4 and 12 inches of snow is expected with the heaviest amounts near Bettles. This will making driving on the Dalton Highway difficult from Thursday afternoon through Friday."
Another swath of the state, stretching from the Denali National Park area east to the Canadian border, will be under wind warnings by 3 p.m. Thursday, lasting until 9 a.m. Friday, with gusts up to 70 mph.
"Strong south Chinook winds will develop Thursday afternoon near the Alaska Range," forecasters wrote. "The strongest winds will be Thursday evening through Thursday night. Gusts as high (as) 70 to 80 mph are expected. The area along the Alaska Highway west of Tok may get very strong south winds as well."