Storm expected to dump snow on Valdez and Copper River Basin, snarl travel between Girdwood and Seward

A major storm was forecast to bring heavy snowfall to parts of Southcentral Alaska beginning Saturday night and lasting through Tuesday, affecting travel along the Richardson and Seward highways this weekend.

The heaviest snowfall is likely to occur in Valdez, at Thompson Pass and into the Copper River Basin, which could see up to 4 feet of snow at higher elevations over the next several days, said Pam Pietrycha, a lead forecaster for the National Weather Service’s Anchorage office.

“It’s going to be a long-duration event,” Pietrycha said Saturday evening, adding that Anchorage was expected to avoid the brunt of the storm, with several inches of snow forecast for the area Sunday night.

In Anchorage, a cold snap was expected to continue throughout much of the week, according to the weather service.

Here’s how the storm could affect different parts of the region.

Heavy snowfall in the southern Copper River Basin

A winter storm warning was in place beginning Saturday afternoon and lasting through Monday for the southern Copper River Basin, with up to 50 inches of snow possible at the highest elevations.

Travel along the Richardson and Edgerton highways had the potential to become challenging and hazardous starting Saturday evening due to heavy snowfall, Pietrycha said.

“Right now, if you’re headed towards the Richardson Highway, be prepared for weather to continue to deteriorate, especially if you’re heading towards Glennallen and then dropping south, that’s going to get pretty nasty tonight and tomorrow,” she said.

Snow accumulations of 2 to 4 feet were possible along the Richardson Highway south of Tonsina while areas farther north between Glennallen and Paxson were expected to see less precipitation — closer to 6 inches of snow, according to the winter storm warning.

“Snow is expected to move into the Copper River Basin as early as this evening, remaining relatively light, and then increase in intensity into the overnight hours tonight,” the weather service said in Saturday’s storm warning.

Wind chills as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit were possible, which “could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” the weather service said.

The weather service advised drivers to carry emergency supplies such as food, water and an extra flashlight if they needed to travel in hazardous conditions.

Potentially 3-plus feet of snow at Valdez and Thompson Pass

Valdez and Thompson Pass were expected to see between 35 and 45 inches of snow beginning Sunday and lasting through Tuesday morning, with short periods of intense snowfall likely during that time period, according to Pietrycha.

Snowfall intensity was expected to be highest between Sunday morning and Monday evening, according to a winter weather advisory in place for the area from 1 a.m. Sunday to 7 p.m. Monday.

Pietrycha said the higher snowfall accumulation totals were likely in higher elevations.

Challenging Seward Highway travel starting Sunday

Travel along the Seward Highway south of Girdwood was likely to become hazardous beginning Sunday, Pietrycha said.

A winter storm watch is in effect Sunday evening through Monday afternoon along the highway from Girdwood to Portage, through Turnagain Pass and south to Seward, with light snow expected Sunday afternoon that would become heavier Sunday night into Monday morning.

Between 20 and 30 inches of total snowfall was expected, according to the weather service.

A bulk of the accumulation was expected to occur overnight Sunday into Monday, with more than a foot possible during that time.

Less snowfall in Cordova

Less snow was expected to land in Cordova beginning Saturday night into Sunday, due to warmer air that was expected to transition some of that snow to rain Sunday afternoon.

Up to a foot of snow was possible there before the transition to rain, the weather service said in a special weather statement.