State Under First Ever National Weather Service Heat Advisory

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory warning in Alaska for the first time ever.

“This weekend, parts of the state including areas around Fairbanks are expected to climb into the mid-80s, with some locations potentially nearing 90°F,” Rawsalerts wrote.

#BREAKING: For the first time in history, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Alaska as high temperatures grip the region. This weekend, parts of the state including areas around Fairbanks are expected to climb into the mid-80s, with some locations… pic.twitter.com/yVI7zQQosU

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 14, 2025

Per FOX Weather:

Until recently, Fairbanks and other Alaskan forecast offices didn’t have the ability to issue such advisories, instead relying on Special Weather Statements to alert the public about sudden heat.

That changed on June 2, when adjusted procedures granted Alaskan offices the authority to use the Heat advisory product, aligning them more closely with practices used across the Lower 48.

The criteria for when an alert is issued vary across the Last Frontier, with some areas along the North Slope needing only to reach 75 degrees, while Fairbanks’ threshold is a warmer 85 degrees.

The NWS office in Fairbanks anticipates several upcoming days will hit at least 85 degrees, so a Heat Advisory will go into effect for the city’s more than 30,000 residents.

The National Weather Service office in Fairbanks, Alaska, has issued a heat advisory for Sunday. This is the first of its kind ever issued for the state of Alaska – but there’s a catch. https://t.co/IdWmWocGeZ

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) June 13, 2025

From The Weather Channel:

Don’t scoff at these temperatures quite yet.

In the same way that only a couple of inches of snow can cripple the South while Alaskans wouldn’t even bat an eye, these temperatures, though seemingly mundane for many in the continental U.S., could be dangerous for those in Alaska.

Places are built to withstand their climate – which, for Alaska, is on the colder end of the spectrum.

As Alaska-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider pointed out on the social media platform Bluesky, many buildings, such as homes and schools, are built to retain heat – which, while ideal in the brutal winters, could pose a major threat as temperatures begin to rise. And most don’t have air conditioning, either.

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While it’s tempting to spend time outside once the temperatures warm up, it’s important to stay safe in the heat.

Heat stress is the leading weather-related cause of death.