Most of Southcentral Alaska is expected to get snow from a storm arriving Tuesday evening on the Kenai Peninsula before moving north to Mat-Su and Anchorage.
Storm totals could range from 2 to 12 inches, though the National Weather Service on Tuesday said the estimates are subject to change as the forecast evolves.
The weather service was forecasting 2 to 4 inches for the Anchorage Bowl by Wednesday.
It’s expected to be the region’s first widespread snow event this season, according to forecaster Matthew Fazal. The Anchorage area has received just over 4 inches of snow so far.
Two storms — one coming from Siberia and another from Japan — merged and are moving eastward, according to meteorologist Pamela Szatanek.
The National Weather Service in Anchorage is tracking a system that will bring snow to Southwest Alaska (on Tuesday/Wed) and Southcentral Alaska (on Wednesday). This satellite image is from 9:40 AM AKDT this morning. #AKwx #Winter #Alaska pic.twitter.com/HPAWoYi8Lc
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) October 31, 2022
The Kenai Peninsula from Soldotna west is expected to receive 3 to 6 inches, said Michael Lawson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Anchorage. The eastern Kenai Peninsula could see 5 to 10 inches from Portage south, he said
Snow will then “fill in” north across the region early Wednesday morning: The forecast was calling for 4 to 10 inches for the Susitna Valley, with the highest amounts west of the Parks Highway; 3 to 5 inches for the Matanuska Valley; and 1 to 3 inches for the Copper River Basin.
The Anchorage Bowl was expected to see light snow by Tuesday night or early Wednesday and heavier snow by Wednesday afternoon, according to the forecast.
A winter weather advisory was issued for the Thompson Pass area near Valdez from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, with forecasts of blowing snow, winds gusting to 45 mph, and snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches.
The weather system should clear out by Thursday, Lawson said.
“The cold air will filter in, and the cloud cover will generally decrease Thursday and Friday,” he said, “and it will just be colder.”