Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Lawinenprobleme

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  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Very Likely

  Größe

  1–2.5

  It is officially winter now and the rain storm continues, creating a very wet snowpack below 2,500'. With another 0.5" (Turnagain) to 1" (Girdwood) of water expected today both natural and human-triggered avalanches will be likely. We recommend avoiding any slopes above 30 degrees and be careful not to travel underneath steep slopes as large avalanches could come from above. 

  Yesterday the rain/snow line was at about 1,800' on Tincan. It looks like it warmed up a bit overnight and that line rose to 2,500', but should drop through the day today. Wet loose avalanches are the most likley type of wet avalanche we could see today, but there's a chance a larger wet slab could occur. The snowpack didn't completely freeze up after the last round of rain storms. The more rain and warm temperatures there are the more likely it is for a larger and more dangerous wet slab to occur.

  Here are the totals from Thursday through Monday morning with estimated snowfall amounts above 2500':

  • Girdwood: 2.99" water (12-24" snow)
  • Portage: 10.48" water (30-50" snow)
  • Turnagain Pass: 3.8" water (18-30" snow)
  • Summit Lake: 0.7" water (6-8" snow) No new in the last 24
  • Seward/Lost Lake: 2.6" water (12-24" snow) 
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  Storm Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Very Likely

  Größe

  1.5–3

  It has been snowing above 2,500' for several days with more snow above 2,000' and strong easterly ridgetop winds forecast today. The storm snow total is approaching 24" to 30" of new snow above 3,000' (since Thursday), which is creating storm and wind slabs as deep as 3' or more.  These avalanches are likely to be triggered naturally today by the ongoing addition of snow and wind and could be very large in size. We recommend avoiding avalanche terrain.

  Snowfall amounts in the last 24 hours were much less than the day before. We estimate based on water amounts that there are 5 to 7" of new snow above about 2,000' in the Turnagain Pass forecast area since yesterday at 6am. That amount is sitting on top of a large storm slab that has built over the last several days that could all come down at once if triggered.

  There was a widespread layer of surface hoar on the surface before precipitation started on Thursday. Below 2,500' the surface hoar got destroyed by the rain, but above this elevation it is now likely buried in pockets in the upper elevation start zones that were protected from the winds that preceded the storm. This could make avalanche conditions more touchy for a longer period of time once the storm tapers off.

   

  

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  Glide Cracks

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  2–3

  We haven't been able to see anything for a few days now, but we expect this warm and wet weather has increased the glide avalanche activity. We will do some inventory when we get some visibility and until then we recommend avoiding avalanche terrain and runout zones.