Rain breaks daily record; more storms and wind advisories expected
ANCHORAGE — One of two storms moving through Alaska has already made landfall and pushed steady showers across Southcentral, sending Anchorage past a long-standing daily rainfall mark and bringing renewed wet weather and wind threats through the week.
By 5 p.m. Sunday, Anchorage had recorded 0.72 inches of rain for July 12, surpassing the previous daily record of 0.53 inches set in 1979. Forecasters said rainfall would continue overnight and that the total for the day was likely to increase as a second storm arrives Monday.
- Timing: Continuous showers overnight into Monday morning across Southcentral; a break is possible Monday afternoon for Anchorage and parts of the western Kenai Peninsula.
- Second storm: Expected to return heavy rain to Anchorage by about 5 p.m. Monday.
- Temperatures: Cooler start to the week — mid-50s across the region to begin, with highs declining from upper 60s/near 70 to mid-60s later in the week.
Western Alaska and the Aleutian Chain are also seeing persistent wet conditions. Some locations will see notable totals: forecasters noted Cold Bay could receive nearly an inch of rain by Monday as the next system moves through Southwest Alaska. Along the Aleutians, heavy rain will be accompanied by rising winds, with gusts expected to reach around 45 mph in some spots.
"More rain is on the way overnight so that record will only increase before the day is done," forecasters reported.
Wind concerns will extend inland in places where dry conditions persist. The forecast calls for strong gusts across parts of Interior Alaska, with winds increasing to as much as 70 mph from Delta Junction to Donnelly by Tuesday. That combination — low humidity and high winds — will raise fire-weather concerns in affected Interior areas.
| Location | Noted figure |
|---|---|
| Anchorage (July 12) | 0.72 in (as of 5 p.m.; eclipsed 0.53 in record from 1979) |
| Cold Bay | Nearly 1.0 in by Monday |
| Delta Junction to Donnelly | Winds up to 70 mph by Tuesday |
| Dalton Highway / Atigun Pass | Gusts up to 40 mph (Wind Advisory) |
Coastal and northern areas will feel the effects as well: light rain along the Beaufort Coastline with highs near 50 degrees, and thunderstorm activity reported in places such as Anaktuvuk. Interior Alaska should remain mostly dry Monday but could see isolated light showers in the afternoon tied to localized thunderstorm activity.
For Anchorage residents, the immediate impacts are travel delays, localized flooding on low-lying streets, and soggy conditions for outdoor activities through most of the week. The forecast indicates a temporary afternoon break Monday, but the second storm is expected to return wet weather to Southcentral by evening.
Officials and residents should monitor local forecasts and advisories for changing conditions, especially for wind advisories and potential fire-weather alerts in the Interior as winds strengthen later in the week.
