Two Rivers

Interior Alaska has had a cool, wet start to June, but forecasters warn that thunderstorms, lightning, and rising temperatures could quickly increase wildfire danger. Fire managers are watching dry areas like Delta Junction and the upper Tanana Valley closely.

A KUAC “Beyond The Weather” segment discusses what controls snowmelt timing and notes that a significant snowpack remained in place near Fairbanks, Alaska as of April 30, 2026.

Fairbanks, Alaska rose above 32°F for the first time since Halloween, ending a 152-day stretch of below-freezing temperatures—the city’s longest such streak since 1972. Forecasts call for continued warming into the 30s and possibly near 40°F next week.

National Weather Service staff in the Fairbanks area report overflow—water rising onto the ice surface—on some Interior Alaska rivers and lakes, with measured depths up to about six inches, creating hazards for hikers and travelers.

Meteorological winter ended with Fairbanks recording its 10th coldest winter on record (coldest since 1970–71), while Southeast Alaska faced a new storm with winter storm watches and up to 8–13 inches of snow possible.

A surge of Arctic air brought temperatures near or below -40°F to Alaska’s Interior and significantly below-average highs statewide, with dangerous wind chills and some blizzard conditions in the eastern Alaska Range.

Fairbanks set a daily snowfall record with 10.9 inches on Dec. 12, followed by a return to deep cold with temperatures expected to drop into the -30s and possibly -40°F. National Weather Service forecasters note limited additional snow in the near term.

A rare series of powerful X-class solar flares and “cannibal” coronal mass ejections produced vivid auroras visible as far south as the Florida Panhandle, with UAF scientists calling it one of the most significant events in years. The storm briefly disrupted monitoring systems and could generate more auroras for days.

Fairbanks recorded a 129-day growing season in 2025, ending with the first fall freeze on Sept. 24, tying for the fourth longest on record. Climate data from UAF’s Fairbanks Experiment Farm show growing seasons have lengthened by about 38 days over the past century.

Fairbanks received 1.52 inches of rain in three days, setting a daily record on Aug. 24 and pushing area rivers toward crests early this week. The National Weather Service expects additional rain later in the week, with officials urging residents to prepare for high water.

A windstorm in Fairbanks on Aug. 23, 2025 felled trees and caused widespread power outages, with more than 7,300 meters down at the peak. Crews cleared a large spruce that blocked Cushman Street and restored most electricity within a day.

Alaska Fish and Game shot two young Dall sheep near Salcha after potential exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae to prevent disease spread threatening the state’s declining population.

Traffic on the Parks was limited Sunday due to the Bear Creek Fire, with about 100,000 acres burning in more than 180 fires across Alaska. Evacuation orders were issued for several nearby residential areas, including the Bear Creek and June Creek subdivisions west of the highway.

Two Interior Alaska wildfires—the 26,000-acre Bear Creek Fire near Healy and the 3,300-acre Himalaya Road Fire north of Fairbanks—forced temporary closures of the Parks and Elliot Highways, prompted evacuations, and led to emergency animal shelter operations.

The National Weather Service has issued its first-ever heat advisory for Alaska, covering Fairbanks as temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-80s this weekend.

Despite cooler weather in late May and early June, wild roses are blooming near Fairbanks, Alaska, only slightly later than usual, contrasting with previous observations of late blooming due to warmer temperatures.

UAF undergraduate Leanne Bulger discovered a persistent hole in a Fairbanks forest emitting unusually high CO₂ levels—likely due to thawing permafrost microbes—and led a team using probes, gas analyzers, and radar to study its depth and gas flux.

This article explains how Interior Alaska’s cold, airy snow uniquely bends off railings and loops from power lines, defying gravity due to slow deformation and the sintering process.

An OU scientist explains how powerful Arctic cyclones are breaking up thin sea ice in rapid bursts, a phenomenon that challenges existing climate models.

Warm temperatures and rain have created hazardous road conditions in Fairbanks, leading to collisions and travel disruptions.