Snow has returned to Anchorage roads, slowing drivers Wednesday after a crash on the Seward Highway Tuesday evening.
Michael Kutz at the National Weather Service said West Anchorage received 4.2 inches of snow overnight, amid sporadic snowfall Wednesday morning. He noted that some drivers may be caught off-guard by one of the city’s initial snow dumps this winter, after the first snowfall of the season arrived on Oct. 10.
“This is one of those things that catches people,” Kutz said. “Obviously the streets have got a nice little bit of glaze to them.”
Kutz recommended that drivers slow down and take more time to accommodate road conditions.
Anchorage police responded to a head-on collision that briefly closed the Seward Highway near Potter Marsh at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said a sedan headed north lost control, crossed into the oncoming lane and crashed into a truck. Two adults and two children in the sedan were injured, including a woman who suffered life-threatening injuries.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, police dispatchers had reports of 14 accidents, two of them involving injuries, as well as 11 vehicles in distress.
The highest overnight snowfall tallies hit well south of Anchorage, according to Kutz, including 10 inches in Soldotna and 8.5 inches in Sterling.
Kutz said Wednesday’s snow should taper off in Anchorage, with more expected Saturday and early next week. Cold temperatures will remain, however, as well as slick roads and the accompanying hazards across the Southcentral region.
“If you’re heading toward Kenai take your time, since there’s a lot of snow down there,” Kutz said.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cklint@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Chris here.
