Extreme Weather Batters Hillside, More Snow Is Forecast For Anchorage

Anchorage, Alaska — Anchorage has been hit especially hard with snow this year- forecasters have measured about 80 inches of snow so far, which is normal for the entire winter. More snow is forecasted for Wednesday night and into Thursday. Some parts of Anchorage could get up to 18 inches, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service.

On the hillside, the snowfall is heavier, and many Bear Valley residents spent much of Wednesday trying to dig out after strong winds blew snow into drifts that measured anywhere between five and ten feet. Dan Vanasdoll has lived at his home for 12 years. He spent hours digging out his driveway which was buried under nearly five feet of snow.

"We have bad winds up here normally anyways but this is a lot of snow and a lot just landed in my driveway," says Vanasdoll.

 Larry Smith, manager of operations for Smith Sons Enterprises, a snow removal company contracted by the city, says Bear Valley has a weather pattern all its own. Snow plow operators have been working around the clock, trying to clear roads, driveways, and in some cases, front doors.

"There was one lady, she had to crawl out of her window, her door was completely snowed in and I had my hand crews go in and dig her out," says Smith.

National Weather Service forecaster Sam Albanese says winds at Glen Alps clocked in at 104 miles per hour Tuesday night. In December, the hillside was battered with one wind storm after the next- Albanese says it was an unusual weather event. Fresh snowfall is forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday and he says Hillside residents will be hit the hardest.

"People who live up on the hillside, Bear Valley, Glen Alps area, shouldn't be surprised if by the end of the day tomorrow they have another foot and a half of snow to contend with," says Albanese.