Blizzard warning in effect for eastern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

© KTUU / Austin Baird

Winter driving.

A winter storm is expected to drop as much as a foot of snow across parts of Southcentral Alaska Sunday night into Monday, but forecasters say the blizzard is unlikely to reach Anchorage, where warm temperatures are expected to return after a brief cold spell.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the Portage Valley, about 50 miles southeast of Anchorage, and eastern Turnagain Arm Sunday. Areas that could be affected stretch from Whittier to Seward and include parts of western Prince William Sound. The warning goes into effect at 7 p.m. Sunday and lasts until noon Monday, and predicts winds gusting up to 50 mph and heavy snow, reducing visibility on the Seward Highway to less than a quarter-mile at times.

Snow-starved Anchorage residents, meanwhile, are not expected to get a late winter dumping of snow. The Anchorage NWS office said current cold temps -- which were hovering in the single digits on Sunday -- would warm to almost 40 degrees by Monday.

"The forecast predicts a mixture of rain and snow coming to Anchorage," said NWS Meteorologist Joe Wegman. "The temperatures look to be too warm to get too much snow."

Wegman said a light dusting with up to an inch of accumulation could hit the Anchorage bowl area by Monday, but it won't stick around.

"The forecasted highs will be around 40, so that will generally preclude much in the way of accumulation," Wegman said.