Northern Valley sees well over a foot of snow through the weekend

Winter weather has arrived, and it skipped the subtlety when coming to the Northern Susitna Valley over the last two days. The weekend’s winter storm warning promised ten to eighteen inches of snow, and the storm that arrived delivered at the high end of that forecast.

The National Weather Service’s snow gauge in the Northern Susitna Valley is at Su Valley Junior-Senior High School.  According to that gauge’s data, the area went from zero snow cover late last week to just shy of a foot-and-a-half on Monday.

Areas throughout the Susitna Valley saw snowfall in excess of one foot over the last three days.  Hatcher Pass recorded fourteen inches of snow, and Chulitna River Lodge saw nineteen inches.

The sudden, heavy snowfall complicates travel in the Northern Susitna Valley.  According to Alaska 5-1-1, the Parks Highway from just north of Wasilla to the Talkeetna Spur Road is classed as difficult driving conditions.  The Spur road, itself, is also listed as “difficult.”  North of the Talkeetna turnoff, the Parks Highway is listed in “Fair” driving condition.