Snowfall tapers off in Southcentral Alaska

Snowfall was expected to taper off early Tuesday across Southcentral Alaska, according to the National Weather Service, after creating difficult driving conditions late Monday.

Tuesday is forecast to be partly sunny in Anchorage, with a high near 17 and little wind.

Winter weather advisories for the Anchorage Bowl and Mat-Su were extended to 10 p.m. Monday. Another 2 to 4 inches of snow had been expected to fall throughout the evening.

Around 4:30 p.m., visibility in Anchorage was down to a half-mile with freezing fog, said Michael Kutz, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Anchorage.

The northbound Seward Highway, closed around 4:20 p.m. north of Dowling Road, was reopened by 5:45 p.m., the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities said.

Driving conditions were difficult on many of Anchorage's main roads, according to the state's 511 information site, including the Glenn Highway all the way from Anchorage to Wasilla.

On the Parks Highway, drivers faced hazardous road conditions from milepost 52 to the Talkeetna Spur Road due to poor visibility, icy patches, freezing rain and blowing snow. "Travel is not advised," the site said.

At the National Weather Service's Sand Lake office in Anchorage, snow had been falling "a little slower than we thought originally," Kutz said. Just under 2 inches had accumulated by late afternoon on Monday, he said.

Talkeetna had seen 7 inches of snowfall. In Sutton, 15 inches of new snow had been reported by Monday evening, Kutz said.

"Our observer was saying it was reaching the top of her chain link fence that's around her yard," Kutz said.

Meanwhile, the Interior was also hit with a winter storm that brought 12 inches of snow to Nenana, a special weather statement said. Snow and gusting wind was expected continue through Tuesday evening.

"Significant drifting of snow is possible," a winter weather advisory said.