The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fairbanks, Alaska, issued a heat advisory on Thursday, June 12. It’s never had to do that before.
Heat advisories are new to both the Fairbanks and Juneau NWS offices, which implemented the use of these notices on June 2. Until now, Alaska weather officials exclusively issued Special Weather Statements to notify the public of potentially hazardous heat. The change comes as Alaska continues to warm at nearly twice the rate of the lower 48 states, with the statewide average annual air temperature increasing by 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.67 degrees Celsius) over the last 60 years.
From 1 p.m. AKDT Thursday to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 15, temperatures could climb as high as 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in the Salcha-Fairbanks metro area and the Tanana Flats, according to the advisory. “Individuals and pets not accustomed to these unusually hot temperatures for this region may experience heat related concerns,” it warns.
Fairbanks NWS officials also issued a flood watch on Thursday as they expect to see a surge of snowmelt that could increase the risk of river flooding. The threat includes river basins draining the Brooks Range across the Central Arctic Plains and Beaufort Sea Coast, and will remain in effect from Friday, June 13 to Tuesday, June 17.
“Rapid snowmelt and ice jams could lead to flooding of rivers and streams across the North Slope,” officials warned. “Access to roads, airstrips, and low-lying infrastructure may be affected. High flows could lead to bank erosion that could threaten nearby roads.”
On Thursday, the high in Fairbanks reached 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius), but meteorologists expect the weather to heat up heading into the weekend. Today’s forecast calls for widespread haze across Alaska’s interior—largely due to wildfire smoke from Canada—with temperatures rising to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius).
Though this end-of-week heat wave is unusual for Alaska, temperatures have climbed this high before. On July 22, 2024, for example, thermometers in Fairbanks read 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), marking the highest temperature ever recorded on that date in Alaska.
Americans in the Lower 48 states—especially those in the South—may shake their heads at the thought of issuing an advisory for temperatures in the mid-80s. But Alaskans are not as equipped to deal with excessive heat, according to The Cool Down.
“As Alaskans, we do not pass judgement on Lower 48 places that shut down with [two inches of] snow,” Brian Brettschneider, a climatologist at the NWS’s Alaska Region Headquarters, posted on Bluesky late Thursday evening. “Every place is built for its climate. Alaskan houses are built to retain heat and do not have air conditioning.”
As multi-day temperature spikes become increasingly common in this state, the NWS is stepping up its messaging so that Alaskans can be prepared for the hazards of extreme heat. With summer only just beginning, this likely won’t be the last time officials issue a heat advisory in the Last Frontier.
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