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ARCHIVED FORECAST - All forecasts expire after 24 hours from the posting date/time.
Issued
Fri, February 8th, 2013 - 7:00AM
Expires
Sat, February 9th, 2013 - 7:00AM
Forecaster
Kevin Wright
Avalanche risk The Bottom Line

6-12 inches of new snow yesterday combined with strong wind created wind slabs and lingering pockets of CONSIDERABLE danger above treeline.   The danger is on a decreasing trend throughout the day, but tender slabs will be likley in wind loaded areas at higher elevations.   Below treeline you may find occasional small and shallow pockets of wind slabs and a LOW to MODERATE danger rating.  

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Fri, February 8th, 2013
Alpine
Above 2,500'
Considerable (3)
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
Considerable (3)
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)
Avalanche Problem 1
  • Wind Slabs
    Wind Slabs
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
More info at Avalanche.org

By early afternoon yesterday we could get small soft slabs to pop easily with the influence of a skier just above treeline elevation.  If we had ventured higher we would have found larger triggerable pockets with enough mass to cause injuries or burial by the end of the day.  A couple of natural avalanches were observed farther south on the Kenai peninsula despite generally poor visibility.  The main concern today is these same wind loaded pockets which may still be triggerable by a person.  The snowfall stopped around 1000pm last night and wind has diminished significantly, allowing some time for yesterday’s new snow to bond and gain strength.  

 Today there will be plenty of safe places to enjoy in the backcountry.  Below treeline and areas with moderate slope angles below 35 degrees are a good bet for safe travel.  Travel above 2500 feet will require careful consideration of wind loading patterns and possibly avoidance of wind loaded areas.  At Turnagain Pass the primary wind direction was from the east, but other weather stations showed different patterns.  Determining which slopes have wind loaded pockets will require eyes on the ground.

Avalanche Problem 2
  • Deep Persistent Slabs
    Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.
More info at Avalanche.org

With some areas receiving more than an inch of new water to the snowpack in the last 48 hours, I’m going to bring back the deep slab discussion.  We have not seen a deep slab avalanche in several weeks, however it remains a low probability high consequence concern.  The problem seems to have gone dormant but a couple factors could bring it back to life. 

1.  New snow adding stress to the snowpack will make it more likely to trigger the deep weak layers until the snowpack has adjusted to that new stress. 

2.  Finding a trigger point in shallow areas of the snowpack could be the influence that initiates a collapse that propagates to deeper areas. 

This problem is still in the back of my mind and is still having a subtle influence on my travel decisions in the backcountry.  Despite a period of good behavior, the deep slab is still guilty until proven innocent.

Weather
Fri, February 8th, 2013

Snowfall and wind totals from yesterday

Alyeska top –             10-12 inches     gusts to 63mph

Turnagain Pass – 6-8 inches     gusts to 78mph

Summit Lake –       4-6 inches   gusts to 33mph

Snowfall from Wednesday and Thursday was low density powder, making for good skiing.   You can still feel the hard crust at low elevations underneath the new snow, but snow quality has improved.

Today looks like a break of calm and partly sunny weather before another storm on Saturday.   Isolated snow showers are possible today.   Temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s, and little to no snow is forecasted until tonight.

For the weekend a high wind watch is in effect starting Saturday morning.   More snowfall is also expected.  


Fitz will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning, February 9th.

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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
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Closed
Closed May 15.
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Closed
Closed May 15.
Skookum Drainage
Closed
Will close to motorized use on April 1, 2023 per the National Forest Plan.
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Closed
Will close on June 1.
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Closed
Scheduled closure May 1.
Seward District
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Closed
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Closed
Closed to motorized use for the 2022/23 winter season per Forest Plan. Open next season.
Snug Harbor
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Extended opening until May 15.
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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.