Warm temperatures predicted for Iditarod start
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The weather is always a factor in the Iditarod, from extreme snow and wind to bitter cold, and in a handful of years, even conditions that are too warm.
This will be one of those years.
On the positive side, snow shouldn’t be an issue. The race moved to Fairbanks because of low snow depths in Southcentral Alaska. The snow depth is still above average in Fairbanks with more than two feet on the ground.
It’s looking good for snowpack further down the trail as well. The Yukon River is frozen solid, reporting an ice depth of 19 inches in Galena, along with a snow depth of close to two feet.
Further south, Anvik has significantly less snow, but is still reporting 9″ and the ice and snow are looking relatively solid along the coast to Nome.
Temperatures will likely be a challenge at the start of the race. Heat is being pumped across Alaska by a large area of low pressure in the northern Pacific. This will force temperatures in the Interior to climb 15-20° this week.
Fairbanks typically sees lows around minus-10, rising to 20 above for highs in early March. This year will be much warmer with above-freezing conditions likely on Monday when the teams leave Fairbanks.
Warm air will blanket the Interior all the way to Anvik, but by the end of the week, there is hope for cooler conditions along the coast.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
