NWS Issues Winter Storm Watch for Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula from Saturday afternoon through late Sunday night. Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected, which could make travel very difficult.
The National Weather Service in Anchorage issued the watch on November 13 at 11:53 AM AKST, covering Anchorage, Eagle River, East Turnagain Arm, Portage, and the Kenai Peninsula. The weather pattern involves longwave troughing in the Bering Sea shifting east while inverted troughing in the Gulf of Alaska moves west. This setup will cause a snow band to establish and stall over the region from Saturday afternoon through Sunday.
Forecasted snow totals vary by location. Anchorage, Eagle River, and the western Kenai Peninsula are expected to see between 2 to 4 inches on the low end and 6 to 10 inches on the high end, with up to a foot possible at higher elevations. Portage could receive 9 to 11 inches with snowfall rates up to 1 inch per hour, while Turnagain Pass to Moose Pass may see 7 to 11 inches. Seward is expected to receive between 1 to 3 inches on the low end and 3 to 6 inches on the high end.
There is moderate uncertainty regarding the exact final placement of the snow band, resulting in lower confidence for snowfall amounts. Warmer temperatures are expected to move into the area from east to west on Sunday afternoon, transitioning the snow to rain before the watch ends at 3:00 AM AKST on November 16.