NWS warns of snow, ice risk at Atigun Pass and along Dalton Highway tonight

Snow and ice are expected on the Dalton Highway corridor beginning Thursday afternoon and lasting into Friday, with the heaviest conditions at Atigun Pass.

The Dalton Highway is the only road connecting the North Slope oil fields and their communities to the rest of Alaska. Atigun Pass sits at 4,739 feet, the highway's highest point, and is where conditions are expected to be most hazardous.

The National Weather Service in Fairbanks said a cold front crossing the North Slope will push Atigun Pass into all-snow conditions by 4 PM Thursday, with temperatures expected to drop into the 20s overnight and patches of ice possible by Friday morning.

Snow accumulations at Atigun Pass should reach a few inches. Surface temperatures are above freezing to start, so snow is not expected to stick immediately, but heavier rates tonight could produce slushy accumulations. As the snow ends and temperatures drop into the 20s, patches of ice could form by Friday morning. Any ice patches are expected to melt by early Friday afternoon.