Lawinenlagebericht

Seward and Lost Lake

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
4 · Gross
Waldgrenze
3 · Erheblich
Unterhalb
3 · Erheblich
Open full map
Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 7 months ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

The avalanche danger will be rising throughout the day as heavy rain and snowfall, accompanied by strong east winds, impact the area. Natural and human-triggered avalanches 1 to 2' deep in the new snow are likely, especially in wind-loaded terrain. Deeper avalanches on buried weak layers 2 to 5' deep are also possible. Wet snow avalanches are likely at lower elevations. You can avoid avalanche hazard by sticking to low-angle terrain and steering clear of the runout zones of overhead avalanche paths. 

___________________________________

Join us Friday, Feb. 13, for the annual Snowball fundraiser! This event is a collaboration with the Alaska Avalanche School and is always a fun way to support two nonprofit organizations that provide avalanche information and education in our area. Silent auction, beverages, hors d'oeuvres, and music by Hope Social Club! Tickets and event info at alaskaavalanche.org

Upcoming Free Avalanche Workshops - CNFAC is hosting several avalanche awareness and rescue workshops in the coming weeks, starting this Saturday, Feb 7th, at Arctic Valley Lodge. These will be hosted in Anchorage, Seward, and Turnagain Pass. Click this link to get more information!

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Very Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    Recent avalanches: It has been several days since we've had good enough visibility to report avalanche activity in the Seward area. It is likely there was some activity during the most recent storm cycle last Thursday, but the full extent remains unknown.

    The Seward area has received much less precipitation with the current storm event than the Turangain Pass and Girdwood area. However, heavy precipitation is expected to continue throughout the day, with 0.5 to 1.0" of water in Seward and Lost Lake. That amounts to 6 to 12" of new snow today above 2500', with coastal areas being heavily favored. Strong east winds averaging 40 to 50 mph will accompany the precipitation. 

    The mix of rain and snow in this storm is causing a variety of potential avalanche problems depending on elevation. Below 2500', the rain will saturate the snow surface and could cause natural or human-triggered wet loose avalanches on steep slopes. The added weight of the rain could cause avalanches on our buried weak layers as well, see problem 2 for more details.  Above 2500', the strong east winds and new snow will make natural and human-triggered wind slab avalanches likely. Wind slabs up to 1 to 2' deep are most commonly found along ridgelines and convex terrain features.

    Given the nasty weather and potential for natural avalanches, we recommend avoiding avalanche terrain today and sticking to low-angle slopes if you brave the elements. Areas receiving heavier precipitation, like those closer to Seward, are most likely to see natural avalanches. If the precipitation remains light near Snug Harbor, then human-triggered avalanches in wind-loaded areas will be the main concern. 

    Photo: Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    2–3

    The added weight of the current storm will make very large avalanches on the December Facet layer, which is now buried 2 to 5' deep, more likely today. Our recent field observations have shown that this weak layer is slowly gaining strength as it gets buried more deeply. This is an encouraging sign for the long run, but during active loading events like today's storm, there is a chance we could see natural or human-triggered avalanches on this layer. These are most likely to be triggered from a thin spot in the snowpack where it is easier to initiate a failure in the buried weak layer. To avoid this issue, you can follow the same travel advice as problem 1, which is to avoid steep slopes and runout zones of overhead avalanche paths during this heavy storm. 

Abgedeckte Regionen