Freezing rain leaves slick spots on Fairbanks-area roads as police urge avoiding unnecessary travel

Light rain falling in temperatures just below freezing left slick spots on roads and sidewalks in Fairbanks and nearby communities Thursday morning, the National Weather Service in Fairbanks said in a special weather statement that ran until noon.

The statement covers the Tanana Flats, Eielson Air Force Base and Salcha, Goldstream Valley and Nenana Hills, the Chatanika River Valley, Two Rivers, the Fairbanks Metro Area and Nenana.

The Fairbanks Police Department and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Police Department both posted alerts. "Overnight freezing rain has made driving conditions very difficult. Avoid all unnecessary travel," Fairbanks police said. The department told drivers to give themselves extra time, keep headlights on, leave more room behind the vehicle ahead, not text while driving and wear seat belts.

UAF police gave similar advice and warned that "road conditions can change quickly."

The automated station at Fairbanks International Airport measured 0.04 inch of freezing rain at 8:42 am, according to a weather service local storm report. A caller to the weather service estimated a quarter inch of freezing rain in Ester.

This is the third straight day the weather service has warned of slick Fairbanks roads. Between 4 and 7 inches of heavy, wet snow fell across the metro area Monday, and Fairbanks ended up with 5.4 inches. Some of it melted Tuesday, and lows in the upper teens Wednesday morning turned slush and puddles into thin sheets of ice.

The ice should melt this afternoon as temperatures warm, the weather service said.