Heavy snow arrives in Southcentral Alaska, with more coming in waves through the week

Up to 6 inches of snow was expected to fall Monday and early Tuesday in Southcentral Alaska, the first in a series of winter storms expected this week, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow began falling Monday in Homer and moved into Anchorage around midday, said meteorologist Michael Vuotto.

The snowfall was expected to lead to poor visibility and could make driving difficult, especially during the commuting hours. Drivers should prepare for slippery conditions, the weather service warned.

The Anchorage Bowl was expected to see 3 to 5 inches of snow, Vuotto said. The Matanuska Valley will see the highest totals, likely 4 to 5 inches, although Vuotto said some areas could get up to 6 inches. Hatcher Pass was closed Monday night at Mile 14, near the Gold Mint parking lot, due to increasing avalanche danger, according to the Department of Transportation.

There will be a short break on Tuesday before another round of snow hits Southcentral in the evening, Vuotto said. Higher temperatures on the Kenai Peninsula will likely cause precipitation to fall as a mix of rain and snow, he said. North of Anchorage, there will be heavy, wet snow. There’s uncertainty still whether precipitation in Anchorage will fall as snow or rain, he said.

The storm is expected to taper off Wednesday, and Vuotto said another system is forecast to move into the region on Thursday.

Anchorage could see one of the snowiest Februarys on record this year. Fifteen inches has already been recorded this month, and if another 6 inches falls, Vuotto said, the total will push this February into the 10 snowiest on record.