A blizzard warning for Thompson Pass in Alaska begins at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, and lasts until noon Tuesday, Nov. 10, Alaska Standard Time. The National Weather Service in Anchorage forecasts 8 to 16 inches of snow, gusts up to 45 mph and visibility down to a quarter mile in blowing snow.

The warning covers the pass on the Richardson Highway near Valdez. Drivers crossing it should postpone travel if possible. The weather service says falling and blowing snow can produce whiteout conditions and make travel very difficult. For current road conditions and closures, check Alaska 511 before heading out.

When snow could be heaviest

Forecasters expect a first band of light to moderate snow late Monday morning. Snow could ease in the afternoon before a heavier round arrives Monday evening and continues into Tuesday morning. Winds are expected to ease and snow to become lighter and more intermittent late Tuesday morning. A break between the two rounds would still fall within the warning period.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities operates a winter maintenance station at Thompson Pass. Its road weather camera directory lists a northbound view at Richardson Highway mile 25.7 and another camera at Sheep Creek, mile 18.6. Check the timestamp on any camera image before relying on it. The state says the mile 25.7 site is intermittently offline.