By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | December 2025
☕️ Good morning, sweeties. Southcentral Alaska is waking up to clear, cold winter weather with sunny skies for much of the day. After some patchy fog and icy spots early, the day will settle into a bright, crisp afternoon. Roads may still have slick spots from overnight frost, so ease into your commute.
🌟 Holiday Flair Tip from Memaw:
“Wrap up warm and treat the roads like your mother-in-law’s fine china. Gentle and slow.” 🍽️
🌬️ Southcentral Alaska Weather Overview
- Highs today: about 13–15°F in Anchorage area, a bit warmer near 20–22°F toward Seward. (forecast.weather.gov)
- Tonight lows: roughly 3–8°F in central areas, around 13–14°F on the peninsula. (forecast.weather.gov)
- Bright sunshine most of the day with light winds early, breezier later. (forecast.weather.gov)
- Early freezing fog or frost possible on untreated roads.
🚗 Holiday Commute Table: Southcentral Alaska
| Time of Day | Temperature | Driving Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (6am to 9am) | ~3 to 8°F | Watch for frosty patches and lingering fog. Start slow and stay smooth. |
| Midday (9am to 3pm) | ~13 to 15°F (Central), ~20+°F (Seward) | Sunny and clear. Still icy in shaded spots. Take it easy on bridges. |
| Afternoon to Evening (3pm to 6pm) | ~12 to 15°F | Temps fall as sun dips. Black ice can show up quick. |
| Night (6pm to Midnight) | ~8 to 13°F | Refreezing likely especially inland. Drive cautiously. |
🛣️ Highway Conditions Around Southcentral
Parks Highway:
The Parks is cold and crisp with clear skies later in the morning. You will still find icy stretches in shaded zones and on bridge decks. Traffic is steady, but do not trust the pavement just because it looks dry. Treat every bend like it hides a little holiday surprise and keep your speed controlled.
Glenn Highway:
The Glenn has its usual frost between Palmer and Anchorage. Visibility improves once the sun comes up, but low temperatures keep ice lingering. Give yourself extra time on the inbound commute and use gentle braking. This is not the day to test the limits of your snow tires.
Seward Highway:
The Seward is bright with cool temperatures and wind along the passes. Conditions remain tricky where the highway hugs steep terrain or stays in shade. Expect patches of hard-packed ice. Keep both hands on the wheel and save the scenery for a safe pullout.
Sterling Highway:
The Sterling is calm, cold, and sparkly with morning frost. Crews have smoothed most rough spots, but black ice can form near low-lying and marshy areas. As evening chill sets in, refreezing becomes more likely. Drive like you are transporting a pot of hot cocoa to the church bake sale and do not spill a drop.
🌬️ A Quick Note on the Mat-Su Winds
If you were bracing for another round of howling winds this week, you are not imagining things. Forecasts did call for a return of breezy conditions after last weekend’s windstorm. The strong high and low pressure pattern that caused those fierce gusts relaxed faster than expected, which kept the winds calmer across the valley the last few days. The updated outlook shows winds picking up again later this weekend, but they should stay much gentler than the blow that knocked everyone around last week.
🧤Keep your gloves handy and stay tuned, just in case the atmosphere decides to get feisty again.
🎅 Memaw’s Final Notes:
- Headlights on for better visibility.
- Pack a warm blanket and stay charged up.
- Give yourself a little extra time and a whole lot of patience.
💅
