A total lunar eclipse illuminated the Alaskan night sky early Tuesday morning, captivating observers across the state, including those gathered at Mount Baldy near Anchorage. The eclipse, which reached its peak around 2:30 a.m. Local time, coincided with a period of sustained extreme cold and the approach of a significant winter storm system impacting Southeast Alaska.
The eclipse began with a full moon casting a bright glow, but as the Earth’s shadow moved across the lunar surface, the moon underwent a dramatic transformation, becoming fully eclipsed and noticeably darker away from urban light sources. As the eclipse concluded, the full moon reappeared just as the sun began to rise, marking the end of the celestial event.
While the skies were clear enough for viewing the eclipse, much of Alaska continues to grapple with frigid temperatures. As of Wednesday morning, Anchorage reported 1 degree Fahrenheit, while Palmer experienced 9 degrees below zero. Further inland, Gulkana and Glennallen were at 40 below, Fairbanks registered 43 below, and Eagle plummeted to 48 below zero, according to Alaska’s News Source. Warmer air is slowly moving in from the south, offering some relief, but the cold remains a significant concern.
Several weather alerts are currently in effect. A winter weather advisory remains active for the North Slope due to blowing snow, with conditions expected to improve. Although, winter storm watches have been issued for the Eastern Alaska Range passes in anticipation of a major storm system impacting Southeast Alaska.
The approaching storm is expected to bring 10 to 13 inches of snow to Juneau, accompanied by wind gusts up to 40 mph, with snowfall increasing overnight and continuing through much of Wednesday. Yakutat is forecast to receive 5 to 8 inches of snow, also under a winter weather advisory until noon. Haines and Ketchikan are bracing for higher winds as the system moves through. Further south, temperatures are expected to remain above freezing, with highs reaching 43-44 degrees.
A warming trend is expected to move through Southeast Alaska later this week, transitioning precipitation from snow to rain from Juneau southward. Juneau is expected to continue receiving heavy snowfall through Thursday and Friday before the changeover, while Sitka, Petersburg, and Ketchikan will see a mix of rain and snow.
The Kenai Peninsula is also expected to experience warming temperatures, rising to the teens and 20s, with single-digit temperatures overnight for Prince William Sound. The Anchorage area is forecast to see high temperatures in the mid-teens on Thursday under sunny skies, with lows around 5 below zero.
Looking ahead, light snow chances are expected to return late Thursday night and continue intermittently through Friday into early Sunday morning. This weekend will also see the ceremonial start of the Iditarod in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, followed by the implementation of daylight saving time on Sunday morning, requiring residents to move their clocks forward one hour.