A weekend storm that buried Southwest Alaska with 13 inches of snow and 90 mph gusts is not finished. NWS Anchorage confirms the original upper-level low is still spinning today, Tuesday May 12, 2026, while a 982 mb Bering Sea low merges with it over the Pribilof Islands in a textbook Fujiwhara Effect, with the worst remaining conditions pushing toward Kodiak and Southcentral Alaska.
Peak Driving Danger Window
Tuesday evening through early Wednesday delivers the highest-risk window on Kodiak Island and along Turnagain Arm, when 40 mph crosswinds overlap with wet snow refreezing into black ice on shaded shoulders and bridge decks.
What to Expect
- Wind gusts: 40 mph on Kodiak Island, 30 mph along Turnagain Arm, 25 mph in Whittier and Valdez
- Precipitation: wet snow across Anchorage and Mat-Su, rain switching to snow in Valdez after 10 PM Tuesday, isolated graupel in the Southwest Interior
- Refreeze risk: overnight black ice on Anchorage, Mat-Su, and Turnagain Arm pavement
The combined low sits over the Pribilofs by Tuesday afternoon and tracks east through the Gulf overnight. This is the seasonal exception that proves the rule, with the WPC Winter Weather Desk having already gone on summer hiatus through late September.
Road Conditions
Kodiak's coastal segments and the Glenn Highway through Turnagain Pass are the most exposed paved routes, with crosswinds capable of pushing trailers and motorcycles across the lane line. Spring upslope refreeze causes more single-vehicle slide-offs in Alaska than the snowfall itself. Check the Alaska 511 system for live closures and chain advisories before any peninsula crossing.
Crosswind Threat on Wyoming I-25 and I-90
The same upper-level pattern driving Alaska's winds has the NWS Riverton point forecast showing 50 mph gusts Wednesday and 65 mph gusts Thursday along I-25 near Buffalo and the I-90 approach to Sheridan. WYDOT routinely restricts light trailers during sustained 60 mph events. Drivers should check wyoroad.info for corridor advisories before crossing the open prairie sections east of the Bighorns.
Fire Weather Watch on Southwest Utah Highways
NWS Salt Lake City has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Wednesday from 12 PM to 9 PM across portions of southwest Utah below 8,000 feet, with 40 mph southwest gusts pairing against 8 to 12 percent relative humidity. The driver-side concern is blowing dust on I-15 and US-89, where visibility can collapse below a quarter-mile in seconds and rear-end pileup risk spikes.
Storm Driving Tips
Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) tires remain the minimum for ice-adjacent driving, with tread at 4/32 inch or deeper. Cold air drops tire pressure roughly 1 to 2 PSI per 10 degree Fahrenheit, so check cold pressures before leaving a heated garage. Plan for triple stopping distance on packed snow and skip cruise control on any compromised surface. See Autoblog's best cars and SUVs for snow and winter driving and snow, ice, and rain best practices for setup, and review NWS winter weather safety before any high-country crossing.
Timing
The Fujiwhara merger peaks Tuesday afternoon over the Pribilofs and tracks east overnight, with Southcentral conditions easing Wednesday afternoon. A second Pacific wave is queued for the Alaska Peninsula and northern Gulf Friday and Saturday. The Wyoming wind event peaks Thursday afternoon, and the Utah Fire Weather Watch is a single-day Wednesday issue. We'll update this article as conditions evolve.
