Moderate Cold Wave ● Active
Winter Weather Advisory issued October 20 at 2:48AM AKDT until October 20 at 1:00PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK, United States of America
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* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 2 and 6
inches, highest amounts near the mountains.
* WHERE...Lower elevations of Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM AKDT this afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be difficult. Be prepared for slippery
roads. Visibilities as low as one half mile possible, including
during the morning commute.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Rain will intensify during the overnight hours
and change to snow late tonight through early Tuesday morning, with
temperatures falling to near freezing. The heaviest snow and
highest accumulation will be near the mountains, from the lower
Anchorage Hillside to East Anchorage and up the Glenn Highway
corridor to Palmer and Sutton. Roads will start out wet and road
surface temperatures are still warm (in the upper 30s), but steady
moderate snow should be enough to lead to slushy accumulation,
especially along neighborhood roads. Snow will change back to rain
by late morning in south to west Anchorage, continue northward to
the Matanuska Valley in the afternoon. The exact timing of
changeover back to rain will greatly impact total snow amounts.
Measurements
| Coordinates | 39.9645, -100.8105 |
|---|---|
| Region | Anchorage; Lower Matanuska Valley; Sutton / Upper Matanuska Valley |
| Location Precision | country |
| Issuing Authority | United States of America — us-noaa-nws-en |
| Cap Urgency | Expected |
| Cap Certainty | Likely |
| Cap Expires | 2026-10-20T13:00:00-08:00 |
Official source
Warnings courtesy of the issuing national meteorological service, via the WMO Alert Hub.
This is an official warning issued by the authority named above. Follow its instructions and those of your local emergency services.
Severity as published by WMO Alert Hub (national weather services).
View original reportAlso reported by: WMO
This event as JSON · API and licence
Source updated 1 hour ago (Oct 20, 2026 10:49 UTC) · we last heard from WMO Alert Hub (national weather services) 25 seconds ago
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About this location
The agency did not publish coordinates for this warning. The pin is the centre of the country, not the location of the event — read the area name, not the map, for where it applies.
Area as the agency stated it: Anchorage; Lower Matanuska Valley; Sutton / Upper Matanuska Valley
Official authorities in United States
If you are there, these are the bodies whose instructions apply. This site is not an emergency service and does not issue warnings.
More for United States →What to do
Follow the instructions issued by WMO Alert Hub (national weather services) and your local emergency services. The guidance below is background.
Hypothermia and frostbite prevention, home heating safety, and surviving being stranded in a vehicle.
Open Severe Cold & Winter Storm Safety →Earlier cold wave events in United States
Severe and extreme events of the same kind, before this one. Listed for scale, not because they are connected to it.
Nearby & related events
Disclaimer: figures are automatic feeds from the named agencies and may be revised. Do not use this page for life-safety decisions — follow official local emergency services.