Cold Enough to Freeze Your Coffee Before You Drink It
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | February 2026
☕️ Well sugar, We are not flirting with zero. We are dating it. Some of y’all inland dipped so far below zero overnight that your engine might have had second thoughts about starting.
Southcentral is sitting under a stubborn Arctic air mass. The National Weather Service and the good brainiacs over at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration politely describe this situation as “well below normal.” Memaw describes it as, “Why does my face hurt?”
If you head out today, understand this: The pavement is not warming up. Not at noon. Not at three. Not even if you glare at it. 👿
🚙 Parks Highway
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures (°F) | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 6 | -22 | Deep cold, hard pack ice, intersections slick | High |
| Afternoon | 9 | -15 | Some sun, still frozen surface | High |
| Evening | 2 | -24 | Refreeze begins fast after sunset | High |
| Sunrise & Sunset | Sunrise 8:03 a.m. Sunset 6:23 p.m. | — | Low angle glare across long straightaways | High |
| Aurora Forecast for Tonight | Kp 2 to 3, low activity | — | Drive north of town for darker skies | Moderate |
🧊 Brutal inland cold this morning. Engine block heaters earned their paycheck.
🚙 Glenn Highway
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures (°F) | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 7 | -18 | Icy bridge decks near Eagle River | High |
| Afternoon | 11 | -10 | Packed snow in shaded curves | High |
| Evening | 4 | -20 | Black ice possible after dusk | High |
| Sunrise & Sunset | Sunrise 8:03 a.m. Sunset 6:23 p.m. | — | Glare through bends toward Chugiak | High |
| Aurora Forecast for Tonight | Kp 2 to 3 | — | Visibility depends on cloud cover | Low |
🌬️ Wind chills feel sharper along exposed stretches.
🚐 Seward Highway
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures (°F) | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 5 | -14 | Slick curves, watch Turnagain Arm gusts | High |
| Afternoon | 10 | -8 | Cold pavement holds ice | High |
| Evening | 1 | -16 | Rapid freeze after sunset | High |
| Sunrise & Sunset | Sunrise 8:03 a.m. Sunset 6:23 p.m. | — | Sun glare bouncing off ice near water | High |
| Aurora Forecast for Tonight | Kp 2 to 3 | — | Better chance north of Anchorage | Low |
🧊 Even without heavy snow, this corridor stays tricky in extreme cold.
🚚 Sterling Highway
🧶 Mondays, 1:30–4:30 p.m. | All ages and skill levels welcome
Bring your projects, your questions, or just your company and enjoy a friendly, creative afternoon at 500 Hazel Ave in Homer. Whether you’re solving a stitch or starting something new, there’s always room at the circle.
📍 500 Hazel Avenue, Homer, AK 99603
📞 (907) 235-3180
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures (°F) | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 8 | -17 | Frosted pavement, watch for drifting | High |
| Afternoon | 13 | -10 | Some improvement in sun | Moderate to High |
| Evening | 6 | -18 | Bridges refreeze quickly | High |
| Sunrise & Sunset | Sunrise 8:03 a.m. Sunset 6:23 p.m. | — | Long shadows hide slick patches | High |
| Aurora Forecast for Tonight | Kp 2 to 3 | — | Rare this far south without stronger storm | Low |
❄️ Cold is less severe than the Valley but still punishing overnight.
🚗 Knik Goose Bay Road
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures (°F) | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 6 | -19 | Neighborhood ice build up | High |
| Afternoon | 9 | -12 | Sanded spots help but stay cautious | High |
| Evening | 3 | -21 | Extreme cold stiffens suspension and brakes | High |
| Sunrise & Sunset | Sunrise 8:03 a.m. Sunset 6:23 p.m. | — | School hour glare and packed intersections | High |
| Aurora Forecast for Tonight | Kp 2 to 3 | — | Drive away from city lights for any chance | Low |
🛣️ Residential roads may be worse than the highways today.
💅 Memaw’s Parting Words
Sugar, listen to me real careful. Extreme cold does three things
- It exposes weak batteries.
- It exposes bad tires.
- It exposes impatient drivers.
Do not be number three.
🏠 And, if you don’t absolutely have to go somewhere? There is no shame in staying home with chili and a blanket while the Arctic gives us the cold shoulder.
🌌 As for the aurora tonight, unless that Kp index suddenly drinks a Red Bull, it’s going to be shy down here. But if it does flare up, bundle up, hon. 🧣
Stay warm and sprinkle a little kindness around like you accidentally dropped it out of your pocket.💖
REALITY CHECK: WEATHER.GOV / NOAA
NOAA/WPC charts show no major snowstorm or heavy ice threat today statewide, but cold is the hazard. Temperatures remain far below normal across Southcentral with no substantive warm-up until next Thursday or Friday. Until then, ice is the dominant condition on surfaces and bridges.
Also, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities 511 traveler information system and ADOT&PF Road Weather sensors are the official places to check live, real-time road conditions, closures, avalanche threats, and maintenance activity before you roll. They’re based on the same meteorological data weather.gov uses plus on-the-ground sensors.
💅
