Water Damage Restoration in Anchorage, AK

Areas of rain and snow will continue for coastal regions; snow relents for inland areas

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Nearly 2 feet of snow fell across the Anchorage Bowl this week (with some heavier amounts locally), giving the city its snowiest October since 2001. At 21.5 inches, it’s the fifth snowiest October of all-time. While things begin to quiet down this weekend, additional winter weather looks possible as we welcome in next week.

SOUTHCENTRAL: Some light snow showers remain for inland areas this morning, with little (less than an inch) to no accumulation expected. Expect inland areas to see a gradual tapering off of snow, with coastal regions seeing widespread rain and snow sticking around through the day.

An area of low pressure in the northern Gulf of Alaska will continue to push inland as another storm will be building into the Gulf of Alaska. Widespread rain and gusty winds will build into Kodiak this morning, with the rain and winds building northward into coastal regions of Southcentral later today. Kodiak could see winds gusting as high as 50 mph. While rain looks to be the primary impact for lower elevations, higher elevations of the Chugach Range and through the Seward Highway will see snow and rain. We’ll want to watch snow levels as an approaching front will drive in warmer air. Snow levels will likely rise to 1,000 to 1,500 feet, making driving fairly difficult along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Pass. Be careful on the roads and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.

Into the weekend, coastal activity and winds will remain, although winds should diminish from peak speeds they‘ll reach later today. Most of the rain for the weekend will be for coastal regions, although eastern parts of the Kenai could see a slight chance for wintry mix from mid morning into the afternoon hours Saturday. We‘ll begin to see a gradual return to light precipitation Sunday night into Monday, with the possibility for more winter weather into next week. Right now a mix looks to be the best bet into early next week, but as with all storms we’ll need to watch the temperature profile at the surface.

SOUTHEAST: Areas of dense fog are being reported this morning across Southeast, with a Dense Fog Advisory in effect until 10 a.m. Any locations seeing dense fog will see a lowering of visibility.

While today will be fairly quiet for much of the panhandle, areas near Yakutat will see widespread rain stick around through the day. Yakutat could see up to an inch of rain, if not more, with areas further south through the panhandle remaining dry. Some sunshine breaks are possible near Ketchikan, where temperatures today will warm into the upper 40s. Expect warm weather to remain with us through the weekend, with widespread rain for the panhandle returning overnight into Saturday.

Higher elevations will see building snow chances into the weekend. So if you’re driving along the Klondike or Haines Highway, be prepared for the possibility of accumulating snow and hazardous driving conditions.

INTERIOR: Some light snow showers remain through the Interior, with most locations seeing 1 to 3 inches of accumulation into the evening. There is a Winter Weather Advisory for the Dalton Highway Summits until later this afternoon. Expect to see up to 3 inches of snow, with winds gusting upwards of 50 mph. This will lead to blowing snow and reduced visibility.

Outside of snowfall chances, many areas through the Interior will hold onto breezy conditions into Saturday. It’s possible we could see winds gusting as high as 30 mph through parts of the Interior into Saturday. This will keep areas of blowing snow in the forecast, with reduced visibility on the roads.

While temperatures aren‘t expected to be too terribly cold, we’ll see daily highs in the 20s, with overnight lows in the 10s.

SLOPE/WESTERN ALASKA: Strong gusty winds are expected later today along the Slope, where Winter Weather Advisories have been issued. These advisories go into effect later this afternoon through Saturday afternoon. The entirety of the Slope remains under the advisory with up to an inch of snow to be expected. The bigger concern is the winds, which could gusts upwards of 50 mph. Be prepared for areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility throughout the day. While it’s not too terribly cold along the Slope, winds will keep winds chills in the single digits and teens during the day, with overnight wind chills likely dropping below zero.

Out west things will remain fairly quiet today, with just a passing chance for some coastal flurries. We will see some breezy conditions, as east to northeasterly winds will gusts upwards of 30 mph. Some sunshine breaks are possible for areas out west, but expect the cloudy conditions and winds for most to persist into early next week.

ALEUTIANS: Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected for the Aleutians today, as an area of low pressure moves east into the Gulf of Alaska. While areas of the Western Aleutians just see light rain showers, it will still be breezy with winds up to 40 mph. Further east near Cold Bay and surrounding locations, rain will likely amount to more than an inch by night. Additionally, winds will be the strongest here, with gusts upwards of 65 mph.

As the low builds into the Gulf of Alaska, the rain and winds will die down into Saturday. While the heaviest rain departs later today, we’ll still hold onto some showers through the weekend, with wind gusts dying down to about 35 mph across the Aleutians.

OUTLOOK AHEAD: Temperatures will play a key role in our upcoming forecast, with more winter weather looking possible into next week. Current thinking is that temperatures will warm into the mid to upper 30s through most of next week, leading to a rain/snow event. This will likely lead to hazardous driving conditions across areas of Southcentral that see liquid precipitation on top of snowy roads. If we manage to stay cold enough, it‘s possible we could see more snow accumulation. You’ll want to stay up to date with the latest weather information, as this information will change as the forecast becomes fine tuned.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Most schools across Southcentral — including practically the entire Anchorage School District — are closed Tuesday to in-person learning due to snowfall impacts.

Southcentral Alaska schools are ready for snow: what you need to know

Aside from Girdwood, ASD said all schools will be closed and classes will be conducted remotely.

“Today is a Remote Learning Day, except for Girdwood PreK-8, due to hazardous weather and road conditions,” ASD wrote on Facebook.

“Unless otherwise announced, in-person learning resumes tomorrow. Girdwood PreK-8 remains in-person learning today.”

Shortly after 10 a.m., ASD announced that all after-school activities and community rentals are canceled for Tuesday afternoon due to continued road conditions.

Lumen Christi Catholic High School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School are also closed.

This storm could leave as much as a foot of snow in Anchorage, now under a Winter Storm Warning.

Heavy snowfall also impacts students in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Kenai Peninsula Borough.

MSBSD Regions 1-3 will open two hours late; Regions 4-6 will remain closed all day; Region 7 will be open.

Several Kenai Peninsula Borough schools in the Central Peninsula are closed due to heavy snowfall and changing weather. For a complete list of schools closed, click here.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Areas in Southcentral Alaska — including Anchorage, the Mat-Su, and Kenai Peninsula — are currently under either Winter Storm Warnings or Winter Weather Advisories, as the first major snowstorm of the season moves through.

Alaska’s News Source reached out to all the major school districts in Southcentral to find out how they were preparing for the big snow event.

According to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, after-school activities for Monday have been canceled for Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 due to the winter storm. Activity cancellation for Regions 1, 2 and 7 are to be determined by each school.

A district spokesperson said they are closely monitoring weather conditions and will make a decision in regards to school operations for Tuesday by 5 a.m.

They say the primary goal is to keep as many students in-person learning as possible, but to do so safely.

As of publication, after-school activities for Anchorage School District students were still scheduled Monday.

Assistant Director of Communications for ASD Corey Young says the district works in tandem with the municipality, State Department of Transportation, and the National Weather Service when it comes to determining how school will be conducted during to a weather event.

“As part of our preparation, we check winter road conditions,” Young said.

Young said that crews who check out roads overnight have specific criteria required for school adjustments.

“We have a weather road conditions team,” he explained. “So their job is to basically go check out the roads. They’re checking for visibility, the conditions of the roads, conditions of the buses that are driving.

“[ASD and its partners are] determining when those roads could be cleared to make sure that students, staff, and families can get to the schools safely.”

ASD has tips for parents and members of the community who want to stay informed:

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District said it has “a thorough process to determine whether a two-hour delay or school closure is necessary.”

Kari Lee Dendurent says given how much land the district encompasses, final determinations aren’t typically made until the morning of the day affected.

“Kevin Lyon, our Director of Planning and Operations, begins working with the Department of Transportation, First Student, the Borough, and other entities at 3:00 a.m. to assess conditions and decide if bus routes can safely operate,” Dendurent said via email.

“[Lyon] also reviews our site cameras to evaluate the impact of snow or ice. Based on his recommendation, which he shares with me at around 4:30 a.m., I create our messaging by 5:00 a.m. and initiate contact with media and stakeholders to relay any decisions.”

She says for a full review of KPBSD‘s school closure or delay process, to visit the district’s website.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.

Across Alaska’s sprawling distances and for Alaskans living temporarily out of state, there are multiple options for casting ballots. Alaska is a no-excuse state for absentee voting, meaning anyone who wants to vote absentee may do so. Alaskans are also able to vote outside their precincts and legislative districts, although there may be some extra paperwork required to do that.

Election Day procedures

Need help on how to vote? Read the Alaska Beacon 2024 Voter Guide.

On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day procedures are explained by the Alaska Division of Elections. To validate their eligibility, voters need to bring a voter identification card, driver’s license, state ID, other photo ID, passport or even a hunting or fishing license. If those identifiers are not available, voters can present a current utility bill or paycheck, government check or bank statement or any other government-issued document, as long as those show the voters’ addresses, according to the division.

Where to vote

Registered voters can locate their precincts through the Alaska Division of Elections website.

Schools are commonly used as polling sites, and the state’s two largest school districts have made special arrangements for Election Day that ensure that students will not be filling buildings. In the Anchorage School District, it is a designated distance-learning day, and in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, it is a professional development day for teachers.

Absentee in-person voting

For people who are not in their home precincts or do not know where their precincts are located, there are other Election Day options.There are several sites within the state that fully accommodate voters who are casting ballots outside of the designated precincts and legislative districts.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the five Alaska Division of Elections regional offices: in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, Wasilla and Nome. Another all-comers polling site is at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Also open on Election Day are polling sites at the University of Alaska student union and the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Wood Center. In the North Slope oil field area, voters can use a polling site at Prudhoe Bay’s Service Area 10 Camp Building 8.

These polling sites have ballots corresponding to every legislative district in the state. While in-person absentee voting is available elsewhere, only the Division of Elections offices, the airport and the university and Prudhoe Bay sites have ballots for every state House district.

Questioned ballots

Voters who show up at precincts but find that they are not on the list of eligible voters can still cast ballots, as long as they submit some additional identifying information. Their ballots are kept separate and classified as “questioned,” meaning they are provisional and will be reviewed later to ensure voter eligibility.

Eligible voters who cast questioned ballots will have their votes on statewide contests counted, but whether their choices in legislative races count will depend on the precinct location. Out-of-precinct voters will be given ballots for the legislative district to which the precinct belongs. If voters submitting questioned ballots are in the correct district, their legislative choices will count even if their ballots are cast in the wrong precinct.

Voting by mail

Alaskans intending to vote by mail should have received their ballots at least 10 days prior to the election. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot was Oct. 6; applications had to be postmarked by then.

Returned ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, though the U.S. Postal Service has advised voters around the nation to mail their ballots earlier. If you are mailing your ballot on Monday or Tuesday, go inside a local post office and ask to have it postmarked by hand. In Alaska, most mail is automatically postmarked in Anchorage or Juneau, so a ballot mailed elsewhere in the state may not be postmarked for several days.

Because of the size of the envelope, ballots returned by mail must have two first-class postage stamps, according to the division.

Absentee ballots must arrive within 10 days of Election Day to be counted in Alaska, or within 15 days if they are mailed from outside the United States.

There is an option to bypass the mail system. Completed absentee ballots may be dropped off at any polling location. Polling sites have drop boxes specifically for that purpose.

There is also an option, albeit a little-used one, to vote by fax or electronically. However, any voters wanting a ballot sent to them by fax or email had to have the request submitted to the division by 5 p.m. Alaska time on Monday. Absentee ballots may not be returned electronically.

Voters needing assistance

Voters with physical disabilities are entitled to assistance at polling locations. That means those voters can be accompanied by a helper, “as long as that person is not a candidate, your employer, an agent of your employer, or an agent of your union,” the Division of Elections website says. Voters needing such assistance can also get it from workers at polling places.

The Division of Elections, according to its website, provides magnifying viewers for the visually impaired and voting tablets with magnified text and audio ballots for those who need them to vote.

Polling sites are required to be fully accessible to the disabled, even if that means installation of temporary amenities like wheelchair ramps and easier-to-use doorknobs. Alaska election officials in the past have fallen short of those legal requirements, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

When is it over?

Polls in almost all of Alaska close at 8 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, or midnight Eastern Standard Time, which puts the state in a tie with Hawaii for the latest closing time.

What if there are still crowds at poll-closing time? Stay put, the Division of Elections advises. “If voters are in line by 8pm, they should stay in line. Election officials will process all voters who are in line by 8 pm,” Michaela Thompson, the division’s operations manager, said by email.

There is one exception to the 8 p.m. Alaska Standard Time closure.

Adak, the nation’s westernmost municipality, is on Hawaii-Aleutian time, one hour behind mainland Alaska. There is only one precinct on the islands, at Bob Reeves High School, but it has the distinction of being the last U.S. precinct to close in the election. That precinct is open until 8 p.m. Hawaii-Aleutian Time, which is 1 a.m. Wednesday morning Eastern Standard Time.

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UPDATE: Southcentral Alaska schools see closures, delays amid season’s first snowstorm

…

Southcentral Alaska’s first major snowfall of the season is underway Monday, and parts of the region could see about a foot of snow or more overnight, as officials also warn of slick road conditions making for treacherous driving.

In Anchorage, a winter weather advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Tuesday and calls for up to 9 inches of snow.

National Weather Service meteorologist Kenna Mitchell said the first snow fell on western parts of town near the airport. It will move east to hit higher elevations like the Anchorage Hillside.

“It’s really like the center of Anchorage is most likely going to have less snow than both east and west, but not by much,” she said.

Meanwhile, much of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough is under a winter storm warning for up to 10 inches of snow through Tuesday morning.

On the Kenai Peninsula, cities including Kenai, Soldotna, Homer and Cooper Landing could see up to 10 inches of snow Monday and into early Tuesday. Seward could get up to 8 inches of snow — with the forecast calling for more precipitation at higher elevations, like the Turnagain Pass area.

The National Weather Service is warning of slippery driving conditions throughout Southcentral during the evening and morning commutes.

Over about five hours in Anchorage on Monday afternoon, police reported 25 car accidents and more than a dozen vehicles in distress. They urged motorists to clear snow off windshields, headlights and taillights before driving, and to slow down on area roads.

Mitchell said the snow should taper off in Anchorage Tuesday afternoon. Local weather should be relatively clear until Thursday, when more snow is possible.