Turnagain Pass
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Pockets of CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger may be found today. Watch for areas with deeper storm snow and wind driven slabs. Last night’s storm is clearing today, but residual avalanche danger will linger as our weak base adjusts to the new load.
During the fading daylight yesterday afternoon a couple small natural avalanches were noted along the Seward Highway. This was at the very beginning of the stormy weather.
Join us tonight at Alaska Mining and Diving Supply for an Avalanche Safety Technology Workshop where we’ll be discussing and demoing some of the latest avalanche rescue technology including Avalanche Airbag packs and three antenna beacons. As always, any CNFAIC workshop is FREE to the public!
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Travel Advice | Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. | Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. | Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making essential. | Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended. | Extraordinarily dangerous avalanche conditions. Avoid all avalanche terrain. |
Likelihood of Avalanches | Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely. | Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible. | Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely. | Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely. | Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain. |
Avalanche Size and Distribution | Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain. | Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas. | Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas. | Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas. | Very large avalanches in many areas. |
There was a lot of low density snow available for wind transport before this storm, and all the new storm snow came in cold. Storm totals are in the range of 9-12 inches, with wind slabs probably reaching twice that depth. Water content of the storm snow was around 0.6-0.9 inches (Snow Water Equivalent).
Wind was predominately from the East and Southeast at our Turnagain Pass ridgetop stations. Expect the majority of wind loading to be on West aspects with crossloading on North and South.
This cold storm should be compared to the one we got over the weekend. In that storm we had a little more snow, but we saw a number of skier triggered avalanches. We can expect the same today, with possible warning signs like whoomphing (collapsing) and shooting cracks. Conservative decisions are justified today as the snowpack adjusts to the increased stress.
Storm slabs and wind slabs will be the evident surface layers, but the weak interfaces that may fail today could be older and deeper. The freezing rain crust was one of the most reactive weak layers from last weekend. It may show itself again today. Below that rain crust we still have well developed facets on the ground. Fortunately, digging a full depth pit to look at all those layers is easy with our shallow snowpack.
Yesterday temperatures started a dramatic rise. Portage had one weather station increase 56 degrees in the last 24 hours, from -25 F yesterday to 31 F this morning. Ridgetop stations continue to read colder temperatures – less that 20 degrees through the snowfall.
Snowfall and wind are the big news for us today. Mid elevations in Girdwood and Turnagain Pass have about 9 inches of fresh snow overnight. Wind was strong during the snowfall, reaching gusts to 64 mph on Sunburst and 56 mph on Seattle ridge.
The blizzard warning for yesterday has expired, and the snowfall and wind are diminishing. Some clearing this afternoon is expected.
Date | Region | Location | Observer |
---|---|---|---|
10/27/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan | Michael Kerst |
10/21/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass Road Observation | Trevor Clayton |
10/19/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan – Below Todds Run | Andy Moderow |
10/18/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Taylor Pass | Eli Neuffer |
10/15/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Common | John Sykes Forecaster |
10/14/24 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Tincan | CNFAC Staff |
05/13/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Eddie’s, Sunburst, Seattle, Cornbiscuit, Pete’s South | H Thamm |
05/13/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass non-motorized side | Amy Holman |
05/12/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Warm up Bowl | Tony Naciuk |
05/07/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass Wet Slabs | A S |
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