Memaw’s Arctic Roll: Coffee, Showers and a Full Moon
Memaw’s Arctic Roll for Tuesday, September 29, 2026
☕💅 Happy National Coffee Day, Alaska!
Today is basically Memaw’s holiday. Coffee is her favorite food, and Alaska has plenty of reasons to make a coffee stop part of the morning commute.
But first, the roads.
Southcentral starts Tuesday with showers in several spots, including a damp commute around Wasilla and Anchorage. The good news is that most of the region should brighten up later today.
And tonight, the sky has a different attraction. It’s a Full Moon. 🌕
Aurora activity is expected to stay quiet, so tonight isn’t the night to go chasing the northern lights. If clouds cooperate, though, that big moon should have plenty of room to show off.
☕️ Grab your coffee, check the roads and let’s roll.
🟢🟡🔴 Daily Verdict: Coffee, Showers and a Brighter Afternoon
🛣️ ROADS: Wet roads are likely for the morning commute from Wasilla through Anchorage, with scattered showers affecting parts of the Kenai Peninsula. Parks Highway drivers also have a roadwork wrinkle today: guardrail repairs are underway northbound from MP 36.1 to MP 38, with the left lane closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Merge right and watch for crews.
🚗 TRAFFIC: Morning commuters should plan for a slower, wetter ride through the Wasilla-to-Anchorage corridor. Expect an added slowdown on the northbound Parks Highway near MPs 36.1–38 because of the lane closure.Seward gets a breezier commute, with north winds around 10–15 mph and isolated showers possible.
☁️ SKY: Rain showers are the morning story from Wasilla through Anchorage, with scattered showers around parts of the Kenai Peninsula. Most locations should see improving conditions later today.
💡 HEADLIGHTS: Rain means visibility can change quickly. Use your headlights when precipitation is hitting the windshield, and give everyone around you a little more room to react.
🚜✨ Parks Highway
UPDATE: 🚧 Parks Highway | Roadwork / Maintenance
E Parks Highway MP 36.1–38: Guardrail repairs are underway in the northbound left lane today, Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The left lane is closed. Merge right and watch for crews.
Last updated: Sept. 29, 2026, 8:15 a.m.
Agency: ADOT&PF
Wasilla: 43°F at 6:56 a.m., with showers likely mainly before 10 a.m. Today’s high is near 50°F. Winds should stay light, around 5 mph, before becoming northeast tonight. The low is around 33°F.
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 50 | 43 | Showers likely before 10 a.m. Expect wet pavement and reduced visibility during heavier showers. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Afternoon | 50 | 43 | Partly sunny with lighter winds. Conditions should improve. | 🟢 Low |
| Evening | 50 | 33 | Mostly clear. Temperatures drop after sunset. | 🟢 Low |
| Sunrise & Sunset | 8:00 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | About 11 hours, 34 minutes of daylight. | 🟢 |
| Tonight’s Sky | — | 33 | Full Moon. Aurora activity is expected to remain quiet. | 🟢 |
🚓✨ Glenn Highway
Palmer: Expect a partly sunny day with a chance of showers during the morning. Temperatures should reach the lower 50s, with lighter winds.
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 52 | 43 | Morning showers possible. Allow extra following distance on wet pavement. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Afternoon | 52 | 43 | Partly sunny with improving conditions. | 🟢 Low |
| Evening | 52 | 34 | Mostly clear with temperatures falling after sunset. | 🟢 Low |
| Sunrise & Sunset | 7:58 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | About 11 hours, 34 minutes of daylight. | 🟢 |
| Tonight’s Sky | — | 34 | Full Moon. Aurora activity is expected to remain quiet. | 🟢 |
🚗✨ Seward Highway
Seward: Mostly sunny early, with isolated showers possible after 4 p.m. North winds around 10–15 mph will make this the breezier Southcentral commute. Tonight brings another chance of showers.
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 54 | 43 | Mostly sunny but breezy. Watch for wind-sensitive vehicles. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Afternoon | 54 | 43 | Isolated showers possible after 4 p.m. North winds 10–15 mph. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Evening | 54 | 39 | Isolated showers early, with scattered showers possible later. Clouds increase. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Sunrise & Sunset | 7:58 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | About 11 hours, 35 minutes of daylight. | 🟢 |
| Tonight’s Sky | — | 39 | Full Moon, although increasing clouds could interfere with the view. Aurora activity remains quiet. | 🟡 |
🚜✨ Sterling Highway
Kenai: Overcast Tuesday morning with a slight chance of showers before 10 a.m., then partly sunny. High near 53°F. Tonight stays mostly cloudy with a low around 34°F.
Homer: Partly cloudy this morning, mostly sunny today, with a chance of showers mainly after 4 p.m. High near 52°F and a low around 36°F tonight.
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 53 | 42 | Slight chance of showers around Kenai before 10 a.m. Expect wet pavement in spots. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Afternoon | 53 | 42 | Partly sunny around Kenai. Homer has a chance of showers after 4 p.m. | 🟢 Low |
| Evening | 53 | 34–36 | Increasing clouds. Homer may see showers early in the evening. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Sunrise & Sunset | 8:07 a.m. | 7:43 p.m. | About 11 hours, 36 minutes of daylight around Homer. | 🟢 |
| Tonight’s Sky | — | 34–36 | Full Moon. Cloud cover may be the biggest obstacle. Aurora activity is quiet. | 🟡 |
🚧 Sterling Highway Construction
STERLING HIGHWAY MP 45–47: Construction crews and equipment are active in the corridor Monday–Saturday from 6 AM to 7 PM. Drivers should watch for blasting operations Monday–Friday, flaggers and pilot cars, and construction equipment entering and leaving the roadway. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes. All trails within the construction corridor remain open.
Contractor: QAP
Agency: Alaska DOT&PF
Last updated: September 25, 2026, 1:40 PM
🚒✨ Knik Goose Bay Road
Wasilla to Anchorage: This corridor gets a wet start. Wasilla was at 43°F with showers likely mainly before 10 a.m. Anchorage was 45°F with light rain and a 60% chance of showers, also mainly before 10 a.m.
Both locations should turn partly sunny later today.
| Time of Day | Hi Temperatures (°F) | Lo Temperatures | Driving Tips | Road Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 50–53 | 43–45 | Wet commute with showers likely before 10 a.m. Give yourself extra stopping room. | 🟡 Moderate |
| Afternoon | 50–53 | 43–45 | Partly sunny with lighter winds. | 🟢 Low |
| Evening | 50–53 | 33–35 | Partly cloudy to mostly clear. Temperatures fall after sunset. | 🟢 Low |
| Sunrise & Sunset | 8:01 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | About 11 hours, 35 minutes of daylight around Anchorage. | 🟢 |
| Tonight’s Sky | — | 33–35 | Full Moon. Aurora activity is expected to remain quiet. | 🟢 |
☕ National Coffee Day: Memaw Has Been Doing Research
Now for the important stuff.
Perkup Espresso in Wasilla is bringing serious National Coffee Day energy:
- Free extra espresso shots all day long.
- 16-ounce hot or iced Mocha or Mocha Latte for $1.99.
- 16-ounce hot or iced coffee for 99 cents.
- Plus a holiday giveaway.
In Anchorage, Revolution Coffee Co. has an ongoing weekday online-order promotion that saves $5 when you spend $45.
And the bigger coffee stops are getting in on the caffeine celebration, too:
- Holiday Stationstores/Circle K: Inner Circle Rewards members can redeem a coupon in the Circle K app for a free medium hot or iced coffee at participating locations.
- Dunkin’: Anchorage-area Rewards members can get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchasethrough the Dunkin’ mobile app.
- Caribou Coffee: Participating locations are offering a free medium hot coffee or cold brew with the purchase of another beverage.
- Starbucks: Local kiosks and standalones are featuring the newly debuted Aerocano and mini pies for the holiday.
Check app and participating-location requirements before making a special coffee detour. Memaw supports caffeine. She does not support driving 20 miles to save 99 cents. 💖
Memaw’s Parting Words 💅☕
National Coffee Day has arrived, and Memaw has one question:
Who decided coffee should only have one holiday?
Today, Wasilla has 99-cent coffee, $1.99 mochas and free extra espresso shots at Perkup. Anchorage has Revolution’s weekday online-order savings. Dunkin’ and Caribou have participating-location deals, and Circle K is handing Rewards members a free medium coffee with the right coupon.
That’s enough caffeine to make a Tuesday commute feel a little more festive.
And tonight?
Forget chasing the aurora. It’s quiet up there. Instead, look for the Full Moon. 🌕 If the clouds cooperate, she’ll be doing the heavy lifting in the night sky all by herself.
So today’s Memaw recipe is simple:
Coffee in the morning.
A careful commute.
A Full Moon at night.
Honestly, that’s a pretty good Tuesday.
Now go forth, caffeinated Alaskans. Memaw has her mug, her keys and one eye on the road. ☕💅🚗💨
Forecasts from NOAA, the National Weather Service, and Alaska 511. Reality checks from Memaw. Both are subject to change without notice.
💅✨
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