Overcast skies will linger over the Aleutian Chain with high temperatures reaching the low 40s. Light rain is likely for Cold Bay and Saint Paul with wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour. Overnight lows along the islands will hover above freezing, preventing rain from turning to snow.

While there’s a chance of snow in Anchorage’s forecast on Friday, the odds of new snow for Christmas are low amid unseasonably chilly conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

On Tuesday, Dec. 16, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Winter Weather Warning for a significant portion of Washington, warning that the area could be hit with up to 36 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 65 miles per hour.

A First Alert remains in place for the Lower Matanuska Valley. A high wind warning impacts Palmer, Wasilla and Big Lake where N-NE winds 35-50 mph, with gusts 70-80 mph are likely. The winds are ramping up Saturday night and will likely stay strong into early Monday. Residents should be prepared for power outages with these windstorm conditions.

Alaska’s winter is already well underway and shows no signs of letting up, with long nights, persistent cold, and heavy inland snowpack dominating the forecast. While coastal areas may experience milder ocean-influenced temperatures, the interior and northern regions are true arctic terrain for months.

The difference between a great winter for skiing and a bad one can be a matter of a few degrees.

: Ice emerging as major concern in tonight’s winter storm. Snowfall totals cut. A messy winter storm is expected to hit New Jersey Friday night and could drop up to 9 or more inches of snow in northern counties by Saturday evening,