Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast

For the first time in just over 3 weeks we have measureable snow to report! However, accumulations are scant – but still accumulations nonetheless. So far we have picked up roughly 3″ in Turnagain Pass and Girdwood Valley with another 1-3″ possible today. Colder air is moving in and the new snow is low in denisty and reaching sea level.

Winds are forecast to be generally light, but on some ridge tops may be just strong enough to move the light snow around and form shallow wind slabs on leeward slopes. With such low snow amounts these are not likely to pose much threat unless you find yourself in a zone with 6″ or so of new snow. In this case, quick hand pits, watching for wind drifted snow and any cracking or ‘slabing’ up of the new snow will be key in sussing out wind slabs. Watch for them to be touchy and not bonding well with the crusty conditions underneath. 

For a sense of the expected surface conditions (ah, ‘dust-on-crust’) – below are shots of yesterday’s snow cover that is now mostly frozen with 1-3+?” of light snow on top:

Seattle Ridge – snowmachine ‘up-track’              NW ridge and face of Magnum                          SW terrain on Tincan
  

On slopes lucky enough to receive over a few inches of snow you’ll likely find it easy to initiate predictable and low volume dry sluffs.

**Later in the day, if the sun is able to warm the new snow watch for roller-balling from rocks/trees/alders/etc. If the sun is intense enough, these could turn into decent size wet snow sluffs and something to be aware of if you are in confined terrain such as gullies. Damp/wet snow sluffs can push a person around much more than the dry variety that should be present earlier in the day.