An ongoing snowstorm brought a new record to Anchorage on Monday as steady accumulation and blowing snow led to some delays and traffic snarls on Tuesday.
The 9.4 inches of new snow measured Monday by the National Weather Service at the agency’s Sand Lake offices broke a daily snowfall record for Jan. 5 of 7.8 inches set in 1987.
The weather service is calling for Anchorage and Mat-Su storm totals of 16 to 24 inches by Wednesday.
The snow, falling amid single-digit temperatures, is light and fluffy but persistent. Drivers around the city and on the Glenn Highway on Monday reported unplowed neighborhood roads and tricky visibility at times as traffic kicked up clouds of accumulated and falling snow.
The snow has fouled driving conditions, prompting dozens of Anchorage police calls. Officers on Monday responded to 64 vehicles in distress and 45 crashes, including seven involving injuries, according to department spokesperson Amanda Brimanis. By midmorning Tuesday, police had responded to another 22 vehicles in distress and 10 crashes including two involving injuries, she said.
Schools in Anchorage and Mat-Su were open Tuesday. On Tuesday afternoon, the Anchorage School District said that while after-school child care and high school hockey games are continuing as scheduled, all other sports and activities are canceled to allow plow operators to clear school parking lots.
People Mover reported delays on some bus routes.
As of Tuesday morning, local storm reports included 15 inches of new snow in Big Lake and Talkeetna, 10 inches in Anchorage’s Oceanview neighborhood and nearly 8 inches in Muldoon.
Hatcher Pass Lodge in the Talkeetna Mountains near Palmer reported 18 inches of “light fluffy snow” as of Tuesday morning but cautioned anyone coming up to recreate that the wind was creating drifts. Avalanche danger was rated “considerable” Tuesday in the Girdwood, Turnagain Pass and Summit Lake areas, according to the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center.
Here is a look at current radar returns across Southcentral, AK. Bands of heavy snowfall will continue for the Anchorage and Mat-Su Valley through this afternoon before diminishing tonight. See graphic for more details on snow amounts. #akwx pic.twitter.com/NM1HjsnUKI
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) January 6, 2026
A winter storm warning that remains in effect through noon Wednesday for Anchorage and Mat-Su calls for another 4 to 9 inches, with visibility reduced to a half-mile during heavy snow periods. The most snow is expected to fall near the Talkeetna Mountains and along the Anchorage Hillside and higher elevations in Eagle River. The warning covers a broad area from Anchorage to the central Susitna Valley.
The Kenai Peninsula is under a winter weather advisory calling for another 2 to 5 inches of snow through Wednesday.
Juneau and much of Southeast Alaska have contended with heavy snow since last month. A record December snowfall buried Juneau, sinking at least eight boats and damaging structures. Officials issued avalanche warnings on Monday.
On Tuesday, schools and government buildings in Juneau were again closed due to weather. As rain began falling, officials at the City and Borough of Juneau warned residents to keep off the roads.
Rain and snow is in the forecast for Juneau for much of the week before returning to all rain by the weekend.
