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Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Fairbanks AK
432 PM AKDT Thu Oct 17 2024

AKZ811-812-831>850-190000-
South Slopes Of The Eastern Brooks Range-
South Slopes Of The Central Brooks Range-Upper Koyukuk Valley-
Dalton Highway Summits-Yukon Flats-
White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River-
Fortymile Country-Upper Tanana Valley-Delta Junction-
Upper Chena River Valley-Tanana Flats-Eielson AFB and Salcha-
Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills-Chatanika River Valley-
Two Rivers-Fairbanks Metro Area-Nenana-Central Interior-
Northern Denali Borough-Southern Denali Borough-
Eastern Alaska Range North of Trims Camp-
Eastern Alaska Range South of Trims Camp-
Including Arctic Village, Wiseman, Coldfoot, Chandalar DOT Camp,
Iniakuk Lake, the Dalton Highway from MP 165 to MP 232,
Allakaket, Bettles, Evansville, Alatna, Gobblers Knob,
Prospect Creek, Finger Mountain, The Yukon River Bridge,
The Dalton Highway from MP 39 to MP 164, Fort Yukon, Venetie,
Circle, Central, Stevens Village, Beaver,
The Steese Highway north of MP 124, Livengood,
Circle Hot Springs, Eagle Summit, Twelvemile Summit,
The Steese Highway from MP 85 to MP 124,
The Elliott Highway from MP 32 to MP 134,
The Dalton Highway from MP 0 to MP 38, Eagle, Chicken,
The Taylor Highway north of MP 9, Tok, Tanacross, Tetlin,
Northway, Alcan, The Alaska Highway east of MP 1392,
The Taylor Highway south of MP 9, The Tok Cutoff north of MP 105,
Delta Junction, Fort Greely, Deltana, Chena Hot Springs,
Chena Hot Springs Road east of MP 34, Birch Lake,
The Richardson Highway from MP 295 to MP 317, Eielson AFB,
Salcha, Moose Creek, Harding Lake,
The Richardson Highway from MP 317 to MP 346, Ester Dome,
Murphy Dome, The Parks Highway from MP 325 to MP 342, Haystack,
The Elliott Highway from MP 1 to MP 32,
The Steese Highway from MP 12 to MP 85, Two Rivers,
Chena Hot Springs Road from MP 12 to MP 34, Fairbanks,
Fort Wainwright, Ester, North Pole, Fox, Nenana,
The Parks Highway from MP 290 to 325, Tanana, Minto,
Manley Hot Springs, Rampart, Lake Minchumina, Healy,
Denali National Park, Kantishna, Anderson,
The Parks Highway from MP 237 to MP 288, Cantwell, Carlo Creek,
The Parks Highway from MP 202 MP 237, Black Rapids,
Donnelly Dome, The Richardson Highway from MP 224 to MP 259,
Trims Camp, and The Richardson Highway from MP 202 to MP 224
432 PM AKDT Thu Oct 17 2024

...A Messy Winter Storm Likely Sunday Night through Midweek...

After a brief arctic cold snap Friday morning through Saturday
morning, where lows will drop into the single digits with some
scattered subzero temps, attention turns to a potentially
significant winter storm currently projected to impact the
Interior beginning late Sunday night/early Monday morning and into
the middle of the week.

Potential Weather Impacts include:

* Significant accumulations of snowfall (greater than 6 inches)
  are likely across a wide swath of the Interior. Higher elevation
  Interior locations could see upwards of 12 to 18 inches of snow.
  This snow will also be moisture laden and likely a dense snow,
  which may exacerbate snow removal and travel in heavy snow.

* Mixed rain/snow is also possible during this storm event late
  Monday morning and into Monday afternoon, especially in the
  Tanana Valley and near the Alaska Range, where it may even turn
  to all rain at times.

* There is moderate confidence in gusty winds causing blowing and
  drifting snow along with reduced visibility, mainly at higher
  elevations such as the Steese, Elliott, and Dalton Highway
  Summits. In addition, south wind gusts to 55 mph are likely
  through the Alaska Range Passes.

* Significant travel delays are possible, as heavy snow, blowing
  snow, or even rain on cold-soaked roadways may create extremely
  hazardous and difficult travel conditions.

Bottom line, this storm is expected to be a significant early
season storm. It will likely come in stages, and will last into
the middle of the week. It should be noted that light snow will
impact the Interior as early as Saturday evening into Sunday
afternoon, but this snowfall will be light and will precede the
much stronger front Sunday night and Monday.

There are still some uncertainties with this storm, so residents
should remain vigilant to upcoming forecasts, as details will
change/be added as the storm approaches.

$$