Mix of snow and sleet expected Monday in Anchorage, with up to 10 inches on Hillside

Up to 10 inches of snow could fall Monday in parts of Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter storm is expected to bring snow to the Western Kenai Peninsula on Monday morning and head north toward the Matanuska and Susitna valleys, the weather service said in a winter weather advisory.

In Anchorage, higher temperatures could cause some of the early precipitation to fall as a mix of snow and sleet, with the possibility of freezing rain, said meteorologist Joe Wegman with the National Weather Service in Anchorage.

The precipitation was expected to pick up around 7 a.m., and Wegman said road conditions could be challenging during the morning and evening commutes Monday.

The precipitation is expected to become only snow by Monday afternoon.

“Snowfall rates during this time could approach one inch per hour, especially over favored upslope areas such as along the Glenn Highway and the Anchorage and Eagle River Hillsides,” the weather advisory said.

Four to 10 inches of snow is forecast for Anchorage, with the highest totals on the Hillside. The snow is expected to taper off early Tuesday.

The Kenai Peninsula is also expected to see a mix of snow and rain, according to Wegman. Near Homer, rain is expected most throughout the storm. Kenai and Soldotna are expected to see freezing rain, with up to 1/10 inch of ice accumulation through Monday, he said.

Between 1 and 4 inches of snow is expected in the western Kenai Peninsula, with the highest totals east of Sterling.

The storm will bring mostly snow to the Matanuska and Susitna valleys, Wegman said. Five to 10 inches is expected in the Matanuska Valley, with the highest totals expected from Palmer north and east, including Sutton to Chickaloon.

The Susitna Valley could see 2 to 4 inches of snow, mainly along the Parks Highway south of Talkeetna. Isolated amounts up to 5 inches are possible.