Winter Weather Advisory calls for freezing rain, slick roads

Commuters and residents should take extra precautions during the Tuesday and Wednesday commutes as the forecasts are calling for freezing rain expected in the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory, cautioning residents to expect freezing rain and a total ice accumulations of a light glaze, especially west of Wasilla, including Big Lake and Houston.

While the freezing rain is expected to be light and intermittent, with pocket of drizzle and freezing rain developing throughout Tuesday, drivers should plan for difficult road conditions. Though temperatures will remain just above freezing, some areas may dip below 30 degrees overnight, so rain can still freeze when hitting cold road and sidewalk surfaces.

City of Houston Public Works has already deployed workers to sand high volume intersections, as well as hills, and corners that need it along with removing some trees that are hanging over the roads.

Out in the Susitna Valley, the NWS is calling for ice accumulations of up to a few hundredths of an inch, especially west of the Parks Highway, but a glaze of ice is still possible in Talkeetna and Willow. Precipitation may start as snow along the Alaska Range, particularly in Skwentna, with little to no snow accumulation expected.

Meanwhile, in areas south of Glennallen, including Kenny Lake and Chitina, be prepared for snow and freezing rain. NWS says there could be a total ice accumulation of a glaze up to one tenth of an inch, and snow accumulation of up to two inches. Areas of snow will develop during the day today, then transition to freezing rain for areas south of Glennallen this evening. Precipitation will become intermittent overnight tonight, potentially shutting off in some areas. The most likely area to see continued freezing rain overnight into Wednesday morning will be the Richardson Highway approach to Thompson Pass.