U.S. Snow Report Today

Alaska's North Slope Primed for Significant Snowfall as Lower 48 Sees Modest Activity

A modest snow event is unfolding across the Lower 48, with Washington's Cascade Range and Colorado's San Juan Mountains reporting 2 inches of fresh snowfall over the past 24 hours, while the real story developing over the next two days centers on Alaska's remote North Slope. Imnaviat Creek leads the national forecast with an impressive 6 inches expected, accompanied by rain-snow mix and dense fog conditions, while Atigun Pass—the highest point along the Dalton Highway—anticipates 4 inches amid freezing fog and challenging visibility. For snow enthusiasts seeking the heaviest accumulations, all eyes turn northward to Alaska's Arctic territory.

In the Pacific Northwest, Sawmill Ridge near Washington's Crystal Mountain and Mount Rainier corridor recorded 2 inches during the past day, bringing the snowpack base to a robust 170 inches—excellent news for late-season skiing operations in the region. The immediate forecast calls for hazy conditions transitioning to slight chances of thunderstorms, which could produce localized snow showers at higher elevations but won't likely add significant totals. Meanwhile, Colorado's Vallecito area in the San Juans also picked up 2 inches, though the modest 3-inch base depth suggests this is either an isolated pocket or a lower-elevation measurement point.

Showers transitioning to thunderstorms are forecast, potentially delivering additional accumulation through convective activity, though amounts remain uncertain given the unstable atmospheric conditions.

The Arctic regions of Alaska present the most dramatic snowfall scenario for researchers and winter weather enthusiasts. Imnavait Creek's forecasted 6 inches combined with a rain-snow mix suggests temperatures hovering near freezing, creating heavy, wet snow conditions ideal for rapid accumulation. Just 35 miles south, Atigun Pass—critical for North Slope oil field access—faces 4 inches alongside areas of freezing fog, creating treacherous conditions for the limited traffic traversing this remote highway.

Even Prudhoe Bay, typically experiencing lighter precipitation due to Arctic air masses, shows 2 inches possible with a chance of rain-snow mix transitioning to rain, indicating a marginal temperature profile. These northern latitude systems, while modest by Lower 48 standards, represent significant events for Alaska's infrastructure and wildlife monitoring stations, where any substantial snowfall during the transition season merits close attention from meteorologists and logistics coordinators alike.