Alaska News

Snow advisories continue for Anchorage, Mat Valley

Update, 8 a.m. Saturday: Snow advisories remained in effect for Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley on Saturday morning, with more accumulation expected through midday. Heavy snowfall began Friday evening in Anchorage. By Saturday morning, several inches of snow had fallen across the area, with blowing snow making visibility difficult on some highways.

In a bulletin issued at 5 a.m., the National Weather Service said 1 to 3 inches of additional accumulation was expected in Anchorage, for a total storm total of 6 to 10 inches.

Original story:

Get ready for more snow.

The National Weather Service said a fast-moving storm system will drop 4 to 10 inches of snow on Anchorage between Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

As usual, the Hillside and East Anchorage will get the most snow, with lower accumulations forecast for across town, said meteorologist Jason Ahsenmacher.

But before the snow, some parts of Anchorage will likely get hit with freezing rain, Ahsenmacher said. By 4:30 p.m. he said the weather service had started to get a few reports of freezing rain in Anchorage.

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"It's probably going to make for a messy commute," Ahsenmacher said.

The incoming snow could bring Anchorage's total snowfall back up to average. So far this season, the weather service has recorded 12.3 inches of snow at its West Anchorage office. On average, the city has gotten 16.2 inches of snow by this time of year, Ahsenmacher said.

This time last year, only 3.8 inches of snow had fallen in Anchorage.

In preparation for the storm, the weather service has issued a winter weather advisory for Anchorage from midnight Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The weather service also issued an advisory from midnight Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday for Palmer, Wasilla, Sutton and Chickaloon. Those areas could also see between 4 and 8 inches of snow, with the most accumulation toward Hatcher Pass, the weather service said.

Snow is also forecast and winter weather advisories in effect this weekend for the Copper River Basin north to Fairbanks.

Tegan Hanlon

Tegan Hanlon was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News between 2013 and 2019. She now reports for Alaska Public Media.

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