Bulletin d’avalanche

Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Sun
Alpin
4 · Fort
Limite forestière
4 · Fort
Sous la limite
4 · Fort
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Points saillants

Expect very dangerous avalanche conditions today, as heavy snowfall, strong winds, and low-elevation rain make natural and human-triggered avalanches very likely. Avalanches are expected to fail on weak layers buried 1.5 to 3' deep, and may run long distances into valley bottoms. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Roof Avalanches: This storm will alternate between wet snow and rain at low elevations. This increases the chances of roof avalanches. Be mindful of overhead hazard as you are entering or exiting buildings, be careful where you park your vehicles, and keep a close eye on children and pets. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

We have issued an Avalanche Warning through the National Weather Service, in effect from 6 am today through 6 am tomorrow.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory in effect until Sunday morning.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Very Likely
    Taille
    2–3

    Recent avalanches: There was an avalanche just south of the common skin track on Tincan's Common Bowl yesterday, which was likely triggered remotely. A snowboarder triggered an avalanche on the backside of Seattle Ridge on Thursday in Jr's Bowl, which triggered another avalanche as it ran. Nobody was caught or carried. Earlier in the week, we saw small natural avalanches on the front side of Seattle Ridge, as well as multiple natural avalanches in the Girdwood Valley.

    We are in the midst of the biggest loading event we've seen since late November, and all of the new snow is loading a problematic snowpack that has been giving us warning signs for the past week. We expect to see widespread natural avalanche activity today, and these will likely be larger than what we've seen over the past week. Expect very dangerous avalanche conditions; travel in and below avalanche terrain is not recommended.

    Conditions will be most dangerous in the areas that are receiving the most snowfall. This includes the Portage, Placer, and Girdwood valleys. While we also expect to see avalanches in the Turnagain Pass zone, those will likely be a little smaller since the predicted snow totals are lower. Observed snow totals as of 6 am this morning are listed below:

      Snowfall Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Girdwood 10" 0.8" Portage 6-10" 0.8" Turnagain Pass 6" 0.5" Summit Lake 1" 0.1" Seward 5" 0.3"

     

    Snowfall is expected to continue today, with heavy precipitation rates expected in the Seward/Lost Lake area. This will likely bring over a foot of snow to the coastal zones, with 8 to 10" likely for the Girdwood Valley, and 4-6" for Turnagain Pass and Summit Lake. Avalanche danger will continue to be on the rise as snow keeps piling up, and conditions will remain dangerous even after the snow stops. 

    (1/9/2026)

    This facet/crust sandwich is now buried 1.5-3' deep, and will likely produce natural and human-triggered avalanches today.

    Photo: Neil Pedersen/ Sarah Miller

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Very Likely
    Taille
    1.5–2.5

    Even if we don't see avalanches impacting deeper weak layers (which would be very surprising), avalanches failing within new and windblown snow may be 1 to 3' deep or deeper. These would be big enough to bury a person, and are concerning enough on their own. This is just an additional reason to avoid avalanche terrain today.

Régions couvertes