ANCHORAGE; LOWER MATANUSKA VALLEY — * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulation less than 1 inch. Ice accumulations of a light glaze to a few hundredths of an inch. Northeast winds gusting as high as 50 mph across parts of the Matanuska Valley.
* WHERE...Anchorage and Lower Matanuska Valley.
* WHEN...From 11 PM this evening to 9 AM AKST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be difficult. Across the Matanuska Valley, gusty winds could bring down a few tree branches. Some roads and bridges will likely become slick and hazardous, especially in wind sheltered areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The timing of precipitation has changed and the advisory start time has been pushed back to tonight. For mid to late this afternoon, expect a brief period of light snow with little to no accumulation. The evening hours will then be mostly dry before precipitation moves back in during the overnight hours. Snow will transition to freezing rain overnight before becoming all rain with above freezing temperatures Tuesday morning. There is increased confidence in a quicker warm-up, meaning less snow accumulation and a quicker changeover to rain. Wind sheltered areas from east Anchorage up the Glenn Highway to Eagle River, Chugiak, Eklutna, and the Butte will hold on to freezing surface temperatures the longest, so roads could be icy for the morning commute.
Winter weather in Anchorage; Lower Matanuska Valley makes roads dangerous, increases the risk of power loss, and can cause cold-related injury during outages. Stranded vehicles are a common hazard.
This report is based on information from NWS, monitored by Alert USA's verified emergency feed.
Expect a high chance of travel disruptions, elevated power-outage risk, and heating stress during any extended loss of service.
Recommended steps: avoid non-essential travel; keep heat sources clear and ventilated; have blankets and a way to charge a phone; check on family and neighbors.
Alert USA is tracking this winter storm and will update this report as verified information becomes available.
Verified by Alert USA • NWS