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ARCHIVED FORECAST - All forecasts expire after 24 hours from the posting date/time.
Issued
Sat, December 26th, 2009 - 7:00AM
Expires
Sun, December 27th, 2009 - 7:00AM
Forecaster
CNFAIC Staff
Avalanche risk The Bottom Line

Good morning backcountry travelers this is Carl Skustad with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center on Saturday, December 26 at 7 am. This will serve as a general backcountry avalanche advisory issued for the Turnagain Arm area with Turnagain Pass as the core advisory area (advisory does not apply to highways, railroads, or operating ski areas).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Placer River will close to motorized use do to heavy rains.

WEATHER ROUNDUP

Current alpine winds are averaging 10 to 30 and gusting 30-40 out of the SE. Rain fell in most of the advisory area yesterday. Limited snow accumulations due to the high rain line. 3-6 inches fell above 2500 feet. Strong winds continued yesterday.

-The Center Ridge Wx Station at 1800 feet/Turnagain Pass-

recorded 0 inches of new snow and .5 inches of water in the last 24 hours. The current temp is 31 F (5 degrees colder than yesterday) with a total snowpack depth of 63 inches, down 5 inches since yesterday.

-The Sunburst Wx Station at 3800 feet/Turnagain Pass-

is showing 16 mph winds out of the E, with gusts of 24-54 mph. The current temperature is 25 deg F

-The Summit Lake Wx Station at 1200 feet-

recorded 0 inches of new snow and .1 inches of water in the last 24 hours. The current temp is 32F ( 2 degrees colder than yesterday) with a total snowpack depth of 31 inches, 2 less than yesterday.

-The Fresno Ridge Wx Station at 3400 feet/Summit Lake-

is showing 26 mph winds with gust of 28-47 mph out of the SE.

Two low pressure systems in the gulf continue spinning shortwave precipitation at us. Heavy cloud cover and precip on the radar and satellite again this morning. Expect more rain and soggy conditions today. The snow line dropped slightly last night to 2000 ft. Rain continues to fall at the highway elevation in Turnagain Pass.

The weather forecast for:

WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-

INCLUDING…WHITTIER…SEWARD…GIRDWOOD…MOOSE PASS

500 AM AKST SAT DEC 26 2009

.TODAY…RAIN. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. NORTH AND EAST WIND

TO 15 MPH EXCEPT EAST 20 TO 30 MPH THROUGH PORTAGE VALLEY AND

TURNAGAIN ARM.

.TONIGHT…RAIN AND SNOW. NO SNOW ACCUMULATION. LOWS IN THE 30S.

NORTH AND EAST WIND TO 15 MPH EXCEPT EAST 25 TO 35 MPH THROUGH

PORTAGE VALLEY AND TURNAGAIN ARM.

.SUNDAY…RAIN. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. NORTH TO EAST WIND

TO 10 MPH EXCEPT EAST 20 TO 30 MPH THROUGH PORTAGE VALLEY AND

TURNAGAIN ARM.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE 30S. EAST WIND 10

TO 15 MPH.

.MONDAY…CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE

30S. EAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

.MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 25 TO 35.

TEMPERATURE / PRECIPITATION

SEWARD 41 37 39 / 80 80 80

GIRDWOOD 42 40 40 / 80 80 80

AVALANCHE DISCUSSION

Today’s avalanche hazard is MODERATE. Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. Natural avalanches unlikely; human triggered avalanches possible.

We obviously have some crazy warm weather and precip working on our snowpack. We have a couple of weak layers in our snowpack. The surface hoar buried 1-2 feet and the recent storm snow interface. I think that the strong winds have hammered our snowpack long enough that there is little snow left for transport. All the SE aspects are stripped of snow.

Lisa will issue the advisory tomorrow morning at 7am. If you get out in the backcountry give us a call at 754-2369 or send us your observations using the button at the top of this page

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Sat, December 26th, 2009
Alpine
Above 2,500'
Moderate (2)
Avalanche risk
Treeline
1,000'-2,500'
Moderate (2)
Avalanche risk
Below Treeline
Below 1,000'
Moderate (2)
Avalanche risk
Alpine
Above 2,500'
Avalanche risk
Moderate (2)
Treeline
1,000'-2,500'
Avalanche risk
Moderate (2)
Below Treeline
Below 1,000'
Avalanche risk
Moderate (2)
Danger Scale:
No Rating (0)
Low (1)
Moderate (2)
Considerable (3)
High (4)
Extreme (5)
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Riding Areas
Updated Thu, June 01st, 2023

Status of riding areas across the Chugach NF is managed by the Glacier and Seward Ranger Districts, not avalanche center staff. Riding area information is posted as a public service to our users and updated based on snow depth and snow density to prevent resource damage at trailhead locations. Riding area questions contact: mailroom_r10_chugach@fs.fed.us

Area Status Weather & Riding Conditions
Glacier District
Johnson Pass
Closed
Closed May 15.
Placer River
Closed
Closed May 15.
Skookum Drainage
Closed
Will close to motorized use on April 1, 2023 per the National Forest Plan.
Turnagain Pass
Closed
Will close on June 1.
Twentymile
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Seward District
Carter Lake
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Lost Lake Trail
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Primrose Trail
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Resurrection Pass Trail
Closed
Closed to motorized use for the 2022/23 winter season per Forest Plan. Open next season.
Snug Harbor
Closed
Extended opening until May 15.
South Fork Snow River Corridor
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Summit Lake
Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.

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This is a general backcountry avalanche advisory issued for Turnagain Arm with Turnagain Pass as the core advisory area. This advisory does not apply to highways, railroads or operating ski areas.