Early winter weather grips Alaska: snow, first freeze and flood warnings
As September turned to October, Alaska saw its first winter conditions — snow in higher elevations, a winter weather advisory for up to 11 inches of snow in the Interior, and flood concerns in Southeast Alaska. Freeze warnings also hit several Midwest states.
Snow arrives in Alaska
In the last days of September, an Arctic air mass began pushing into Alaska, bringing the season's first snow. Higher elevations around Anchorage, including the Hillside and Eagle River area, saw a dusting of snow while cold rain fell across most of the Anchorage Bowl — Alaska's News Source reported 0.4 to 0.8 inches of rain expected that Wednesday. By early October, Anchorage recorded its first official snowfall, though only a trace amount.
Advisory for heavy snow in Alaska's Interior
The National Weather Service office in Fairbanks issued a winter weather advisory for the Eastern Alaska Range, according to Newsweek. Forecasters warned that 6 to 11 inches of snow were possible near Donnelly Dome, Trims Camp and along the Richardson Highway between mile markers 205 and 235, with snowfall rates reaching 0.5–1.0 inches per hour. The NWS cautioned that roads, bridges and overpasses could become slick and hazardous.
First freeze in Anchorage, cold snap elsewhere in the US
According to Alaska's News Source, Anchorage's first official freeze of the season was expected overnight into Friday, with temperatures in several areas dropping into the 20s and 30s Fahrenheit. At the same time, freeze warnings were issued in North Dakota and Minnesota, while frost advisories covered Wisconsin and Colorado, where overnight lows were forecast to fall to around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Flood risk in Southeast Alaska
In Southeast Alaska, a second glacial outburst from Suicide Basin triggered a flood warning for the Mendenhall River near Auke Bay. The river was expected to crest around 10 feet early Friday morning — moderate flood stage — with the possibility of a higher crest if heavier rain moved in. A weekend storm was also forecast to bring heavy rain and gusty winds, mainly to the Northern and Central Panhandle.
Context: when snow typically reaches the US
According to NOAA data compiled by The Weather Channel, Alaska, Montana and Idaho are the only states where the average first snowfall typically occurs in September, while most of the country sees its first snow in October or November. Forecasters noted that a strengthening El Niño could push snowfall dates later than usual across much of the US this winter.
