Heavy rain and gusting winds expected Saturday along Turnagain Arm could make travel conditions difficult on the Seward Highway.
A storm system is set to bring rain to the Anchorage Bowl through Turnagain Arm beginning late Friday through Saturday evening, the National Weather Service said in a special weather statement. Between 0.75 and 1.5 inches of rain was possible from Girdwood to Indian from Saturday morning through the afternoon, when forecasters expect the heaviest rainfall, according to the statement.
Anchorage is expected to see less rain, around 0.4 to 0.7 inches, the weather service said.
Through Turnagain Arm, southeasterly winds of 20 to 30 mph were possible from Friday night through Saturday afternoon with gusts around 30 to 40 mph before winds ease by evening, the weather service said.
Motorists should watch for pooling water on roadways, and drivers of high-profile vehicles should especially use caution if traveling along the Seward Highway corridor in heavy rain and gusting winds, the weather service said.
The special weather statement comes during the busy Fourth of July holiday week, with the popular Girdwood Forest Fair — which draws attendees from around Southcentral Alaska — running through Sunday.