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Motorists dig-out a high-centered pickup truck at East 13th Avenue and A Street during the snowstorm on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Bill Roth \/ ADN) <\/p>\nMotorists dig-out a high-centered pickup truck at East 13th Avenue and A Street during the snowstorm on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Bill Roth \/ ADN) <\/p>\n
An unexpectedly heavy snowfall that helped break multiple records in Anchorage on Tuesday closed schools early and led to dozens of crashes on treacherous roads. <\/p>\n
Anchorage hit a new mark for the snowiest January on record. By late Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said<\/a>, more than 7 inches of snow had fallen since Monday night, pushing the city to the new record of almost 40 inches for the month.<\/p>\n The weather service called for up to a foot of snow to fall in Anchorage by Tuesday night. The heavy snow that fell through the day combined with already slick roads glazed by rain that fell early Tuesday morning. <\/p>\n The Anchorage School District initially canceled after-school activities due to deteriorating road conditions before announcing early dismissal for most schools. Anchorage police reported more than 100 crashes as authorities pressed motorists to avoid unnecessary travel.<\/p>\n The weather service originally issued a winter weather advisory for 4 to 8 inches of snow across much of Southcentral and in Anchorage, which had already experienced back-to-back daily snowfall records<\/a> earlier in January. <\/p>\n But forecasters weren\u2019t confident about their snowfall estimates because the type of weather system that brought the snow was difficult for models to predict, said weather service meteorologist Khristine Chen. <\/p>\n The advisory was upgraded late Tuesday morning to a winter storm warning<\/a> in effect until 9 p.m. for Anchorage, Big Lake, Palmer and Wasilla. <\/p>\n The weather service made that decision, Chen said, after realizing that the snowfall total would likely exceed 8 inches and make commuting and other activities potentially dangerous. <\/p>\n The change was also influenced by forecasters\u2019 personal observations of deteriorating driving conditions on roads already a challenge to navigate because of conditions like icy ruts left over from previous snowfalls, she said. <\/p>\n Anchorage police reported 48 crashes, 12 involving injuries, and another 99 vehicles in distress as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to department officials. <\/p>\n Videos circulating on social media showed dozens of vehicles off the Glenn Highway while others reported that their vehicles struggled to navigate messy main roads and side streets in Anchorage.<\/p>\n Police had earlier warned drivers that the highway was \u201cextremely dangerous\u201d due to the amount of snow falling. <\/p>\n The southbound lanes of the Glenn were closed at South Eagle River Road for about three hours, with traffic diverted through Eagle River. <\/p>\n The closure was due to several crashes, according to police spokesperson Gina Romero. She said information about the number of vehicles involved and other details were still pending. <\/p>\n Conditions remained hazardous on the highway, Romero said.<\/p>\n \u201cAvoid unnecessary travel, if possible,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you do need to drive, reduce your speed and use caution while driving.\u201d<\/p>\n Two Anchorage Fire Department ambulances were struck by other vehicles, with the crews involved reporting no injuries, according to a fire department Facebook post<\/a> urging drivers to stay off the roads if at all possible. <\/p>\n The \u201cdeteriorating weather and road conditions\u201d led Anchorage School District officials to dismiss students early on Tuesday and cancel after-school and afternoon activities, said spokesperson Corey Allen Young. The district made the early closure announcement at about 11:30 a.m., just an hour before some dismissals began.<\/p>\n At least two school buses were involved in snow-related incidents Tuesday, according to district officials. No students or drivers were injured, they said.<\/p>\n The previous record for snowfall in January was set in 2000, when 34.4 inches of snow fell in Anchorage, according to the weather service.<\/p>\n Tuesday\u2019s daily snowfall also shattered the previous daily total of 3.6 inches in 1992. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport also received 0.55 inches of rain, which more than doubled the previous daily record set in 1976. <\/p>\n Anchorage School District officials said any decision about whether schools would be open Wednesday will be made by 5:30 a.m. <\/p>\n Unsafe driving conditions also prompted the University of Alaska Anchorage to close its campus<\/a> at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n The Anchorage Assembly held a regular meeting Tuesday but invited the public to submit testimony in writing at ancgov.info\/testify<\/a> or by emailing all Assembly members at assembly@anchorageak.gov<\/a> due to inclement weather conditions. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/STM2JWXSRZHRLI2WUDNORKDGW4.JPG\")
A pedestrian stands along A Street while walking in the snowstorm on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Bill Roth \/ ADN) <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/F7EJNMCY6NA7RJZH7HLU45QGUY.jpg\")
A car is stuck in the snowy median of the Glenn Highway on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Screengrab from Anchorage Fire Department Facebook) <\/p>\n