Snow advisory issued for Mat-Su, Anchorage

After welcoming the New Year with prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures and wind, areas in the Mat-Su should now brace for snow. A prolonged winter weather event is forecasted to hit the Southcentral beginning Sunday night through January 7, with two distinct rounds of snowfall.

The first round of snowfall will bring light accumulations of up to 2 inches to most of Southcentral Alaska tonight before tapering off Monday morning. There may be periods of gusty winds overnight which may cause areas of drifting and blowing, specifically in North and West Anchorage, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Snow may be easily lofted along area roadways, reducing visibilities for the Monday morning commute.

Snow and frost on very cold surfaces may also lead to slick road conditions.

Snowfall will pick up again Monday evening and continue through Wednesday morning for the Mat-Su Valley, Eagle River, and Anchorage. The NWS currently calls for 6-12 inches of snow, with some accumulations higher in Hatcher Pass, as well as the Anchorage/Eagle River hillsides.

The snow is welcome for many as it will bring higher temperatures for the next few days, before plunging back to single digits and lower later this week. Snow may return later this week heading into the weekend.

This is a developing story.