After bone-numbing cold to end 2012, the new year seems bent on a return to global warming for coastal Alaska. Less than two weeks into January, the National Weather Service is warning of another big thaw.
The national agency's forecast discussion on Thursday morning predicted " a big wet warmup coming for the weekend.''
The forecast calls for rain starting Saturday. It will only get worse. Here's the official forecast for the couple days to follow: "Sunday through Monday...Rain. Very windy. Highs 40 to 50. Lows 35 to 40."
Exactly how long this might last is unclear. There is no obvious shift on the horizon. The weather service says a southwesterly flow that pushes ashore warm, moist, Gulf of Alaska air onto land could continue for some time.
Keep the rubber boots handy. And hope that on at least this occasion the weatherman really is wrong.