Weather temps expected to dip, causing icy road conditions

Mother Nature continues to be a fickle weather mistress with the weather as the melting snow residents have dealt with over the holiday weekend are now expected to refreeze, making for treacherous driving conditions.

Most of the Mat Su has been either at freezing or higher for days, and much of the recent snow has melted, with some areas on the lookout for ponding and flooding.

For most commuters and residents, the main roads remain safe to travel, while many side roads and parking lots are still a little difficult to negotiate as they remain icy. Caution is advised when traveling those roads.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued another warning of gusty winds and a wintry mix of snow and rain for parts of the Mat-Su, including Palmer, Wasilla, Sutton, Chickaloon, Talkeetna, and Willow.

Many areas will have light accumulation, with most anticipating less than an inch of snow, with areas of higher elevations seeing 3 or more inches possible. And while it may not seem like much, the stuff that is falling is expected to be wet and heavy and could lead to hazardous road conditions. Again, caution is advised as the warm temperatures from the warm weather will create slick and icy conditions as the roads refreeze at night.

The NWS forecast, for now, shows low temperatures dropping back into the 20s for highs and overnight lows in the teens. Colder air will move up Cook Inlet and the Western Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage and the Mat-Su with a wintry mix of rain and snow from the northern Kenai Peninsula north to the Mat-Su Valley.

There is the potential for gusty southerly winds to accompany the colder air, though the forecast does not show winds impacting the weather in the Mat-Su.

For more information about road conditions, visit www.511.alaska.gov/