Stock the pantry for the weekend. Southcentral's first big snowstorm is due Saturday night, with more possible next week.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service posted a bulletin Friday afternoon, warning of "significant snowfall" Saturday night, followed by a "major storm" headed towards Southcentral early next week.
"A quick-moving low pressure system will … bring snow to most of the region Saturday evening through early Sunday morning," forecasters said. "Snow will begin near Homer late Saturday afternoon, possibly mixing with rain along the inlet, and spread north, reaching Anchorage and the Mat-Su by midnight.
"Snow will likely be intense for several hours," the report said. Up to 6 inches of accumulation are expected.
The system heading our way next week may bring "another quick shot of light snow," forecasters said. A strong low-pressure system, it's expected to deliver "storm-force winds" approaching 60 mph.
All that should deliver another dose of winter to the low-lands. At elevation, winter is already well under way. The top of Mount Alyeska in Girdwood got 17 inches of fresh snow on Thursday, to bring the snow depth at the top of Chair 6 to 58 inches.
Opening day at the resort is less than three weeks away, on Nov. 23.
Farther south at Turnagain Pass, forecasters were cautioning backcountry skiers to "watch for easily triggerable soft slabs and wind slabs on and off ridgelines."
Contact Mike Campbell at mcampbell(at)alaskadispatch.com