Many Anchorage residents were shoveling sidewalks and brushing off car windshields for the first time this year as the town got hit by its largest snowstorm of the season.
Some parts of town are reporting over a foot of snow, including 15 inches reported as of 8:25 a.m. on Huffman and Birch Road on the Anchorage Hillside, according to the National Weather Service. Valdez reported 19 inches of powder at 6:40 a.m.
16.5″, still snowing. pic.twitter.com/pi8vC2Kezr
— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) November 11, 2021
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory through Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough until 4 p.m. on Thursday. There’s a winter storm warning in effect starting in Girdwood and covering the Southern Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound through 4 p.m. Thursday.Â
The storm largely bypassed the Kenai Peninsula, but snow flurries and winds mean driving conditions could be difficult from Homer to the Mat-Su Borough, according to Alaska 511.
Here's your snow amounts as of 9am this morning, and it's still snowing! Radar shows a band of moderate snow moving back and forth over the Anchorage area. Expect another 1-3" of accumulation through midday. Continue to use caution while traveling. #akwx #snow pic.twitter.com/ouIPfxvOYy
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) November 11, 2021
NWS is forecasting up to four more inches of snow could fall throughout the day today in Anchorage. Forecasters say temperatures will drop to below normal for the rest of the week, so snow is likely to stay on the ground. ‘
Anchorage School District schools were in-service today, but the district announced that schools will close for practices and rehearsals at 11:30 a.m.
This story will be updated.
Lex Treinen is covering the state Legislature for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at ltreinen@gmail.com.
