Icy roads close Su Valley schools after high winds cause outages in Anchorage and Mat-Su

Schools in the Susitna Valley were closed Tuesday due to dangerous road conditions after a windstorm caused power outages in Anchorage and Mat-Su on Monday evening.

There will be no school or remote learning for Su-Valley Jr./Sr. High School as well as Talkeetna, Trapper Creek and Willow elementary schools, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District announced Tuesday morning. District officials said they expect to decide by noon whether after-school activities would continue.

The forecast Tuesday for the Su Valley called for rain, light freezing rain and snow after a wintry mix on already slick roads prompted the school closure.

The announcement came on the heels of powerful winds that triggered power outages and made for difficult driving conditions Monday afternoon into evening.

Chugach Electric reported multiple outages around Anchorage by 5 p.m. Monday and another 1,000 members without power in the Campbell Lake area. All but several dozen had been restored by Tuesday morning. Matanuska Electric Association reported over 1,000 members out in the Butte area near Palmer late Monday before power was restored.

Locations around the Anchorage Bowl reported winds in excess of 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Wind speeds on the Hillside and Turnagain Arm were higher, with an 81 mph gust reported at Potter Valley Monday night.