Winter Weather Warning Issued as Up to 6 Inches of Snow, 11-Degree Wind Chills Hit in JulyAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.It is the last week of July, and one stretch of American road spent the weekend under a Winter Weather Advisory. Not the Alps, not a glacier, an actual highway that trucks and tourists drive.Snow can turn up in high terrain in any month. What makes this one worth a driver's attention is where it landed, and how little most people behind the wheel are prepared for it in the middle of summer.Up To 6 Inches Of Snow And A Glaze Of Ice On The RoadThe National Weather Service office in Fairbanks put the Central Brooks Range under a Winter Weather Advisory from Sunday to Monday, July 27. The area covers Atigun Pass, Anaktuvuk Pass, Galbraith Lake and the Dalton Highway from mile post 232 to mile post 322.AdvertisementAdvertisementForecasters called for a widespread 2 inches of snow with up to 6 inches at higher elevations, along with ice accumulations around a light glaze. Precipitation began as rain, ran through a brief wintry mix, then changed over. Freezing drizzle stayed in the picture overnight.Monday's forecast still carries isolated snow showers through the morning, with highs only in the upper 30s to lower 40s and north winds of 15 to 20 mph.What Drivers Should Take From ItAtigun Pass sits at 4,739 feet and is the highest pass in Alaska maintained year round. It is also the only road crossing of the Brooks Range, so there is no alternate route. You go over it or you stop.Six inches is nothing in February. In July it is a different problem, because nobody is set up for it. Summer tires, no chains, no shovel, no extra layers in the trunk. Warm pavement melts the first snow, then the overnight refreeze turns that water into a sheet, and a north wind adds blowing snow on the least forgiving part of the climb.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe habits still apply out of season. Slow down well before the grade, leave far more following distance than feels necessary, brake in a straight line, and check 511 before you commit to the pass. Snow driving is a skill you keep year round, not one you put away in May.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jul 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
+15 others
