Light snowfall and rising temperatures across Southcentral Alaska were expected to cause slick roads Thursday, likely affecting evening commuters in Anchorage.
The National Weather Service issued a special statement early Thursday for the region, ranging from Cantwell south to the entire Kenai Peninsula and east past Valdez to the Canadian border. The conditions are being driven by a front of relatively warm air displacing cold Arctic air that has remained over the area in recent weeks.
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"As this higher moisture air moves in toward the evening hours, pavement surfaces that have been cold soaking in the Arctic air will be especially vulnerable to developing frost," meteorologists wrote. "The deposition of frost on the roads combined with light snowfall will make for difficult driving conditions."
The Weather Service recommended that drivers take "extra precautions" as the frost develops.
Anchorage-based NWS meteorologist Christian Cassell said the snowfall will persist overnight Thursday.
"For the Anchorage area, we're generally expecting 1 to 2 inches, could be higher amounts — at least right now it doesn't look like anybody's going to get more than 3," Cassell said. "It looks like likely chances between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. today, so maybe by rush hour, and then definite chances after 6 p.m."
Anchorage might see light rain or freezing rain Friday evening, Cassell said, as additional weather systems move into the area.
"We're not anticipating any impact because the roads are already icy (by then)," Cassell said.
Cook Inlet and parts of the northern Gulf of Alaska were under small-craft advisories Thursday for winds ranging from 15 to 30 knots and seas up to 12 feet by Friday.
"By Monday, seas in the Gulf could be 45 feet or higher," Cassell said. "It's not atypical to get a few storms a year with that kind of impact."