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Archives
ARCHIVED - Forecasts expire after 24 hours.
Issued
Mon, April 1st, 2019 - 7:00AM
Expires
Tue, April 2nd, 2019 - 7:00AM
Forecaster
Aleph Johnston-Bloom
Avalanche risk The Bottom Line

Another day of VERY WARM temperatures will increase the avalanche danger from  LOW  this morning  to  CONSIDERABLE  by this afternoon/evening. Dangerous wet loose, wet slab and glide avalanches may release naturally once the sun softens surface crusts and weakens the snowpack. All steep slopes above 1,000′ facing East, South and West that see direct sunshine should be carefully evaluated before traveling. Avoid being under glide cracks and give cornices an extra wide berth!  

PORTAGE VALLEY:   Summer trails with avalanche terrain overhead, such as Byron Glacier Trail and Crow Pass, are not recommended in the afternoon or evening due to the possibility of an avalanche occurring above.  

SUMMIT LAKE (& INTERIOR EASTERN KENAI MTS):   Human triggered slab avalanches remain possible in upper elevation terrain on all aspects. This area has a thin  snowpack with many weak layers. High elevation sun-affected slopes are the most suspect for triggering a slab.  

SEWARD/LOST LAKE:   The snowpack is warming up and dangerous avalanche conditions are occurring late in the day in this area as well. A  large glide avalanche released on Mt. Marathon Thursday.  

Special Announcements
  • Warm conditions and large avalanches are occurring at Hatcher Pass as well.  Be sure to check out yesterday’s  Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center forecast  if you are heading that direction today.  
Mon, April 1st, 2019
Alpine
Above 2,500'
3 - Considerable
Avalanche risk
Treeline
1,000'-2,500'
3 - Considerable
Avalanche risk
Below Treeline
Below 1,000'
2 - Moderate
Avalanche risk
0 - No Rating
1 - Low
2 - Moderate
3 - Considerable
4 - High
5 - Extreme
Avalanche risk Avalanche risk Avalanche risk Avalanche risk Avalanche risk
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.
Avalanche Problem 1
  • Wet Loose
    Wet Loose
  • Certain
    Very Likely
    Likely
    Possible
    Unlikely
    Likelihood
  • Historic (D4-5)
    Very Large (D3)
    Large (D2)
    Small (D1)
    Size
Wet Loose
Wet Loose avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Likelihood of Avalanches
Terms such as "unlikely", "likely", and "certain" are used to define the scale, with the chance of triggering or observing avalanches increasing as we move up the scale. For our purposes, "Unlikely" means that few avalanches could be triggered in avalanche terrain and natural avalanches are not expected. "Certain" means that humans will be able to trigger avalanches on many slopes, and natural avalanches are expected.

Size of Avalanches
Avalanche size is defined by the largest potential avalanche, or expected range of sizes related to the problem in question. Assigned size is a qualitative estimate based on the destructive classification system and requires specialists to estimate the harm avalanches may cause to hypothetical objects located in the avalanche track (AAA 2016, CAA 2014). Under this schema, "Small" avalanches are not large enough to bury humans and are relatively harmless unless they carry people over cliffs or through trees or rocks. Moving up the scale, avalanches become "Large" enough to bury, injure, or kill people. "Very Large" avalanches may bury or destroy vehicles or houses, and "Historic" avalanches are massive events capable of altering the landscape.

Signal Word Size (D scale) Simple Descriptor
Small 1 Unlikely to bury a person
Large 2 Can bury a person
Very Large 3 Can destroy a house
Historic 4 & 5 Can destroy part or all of a village
More info at Avalanche.org

Mid-March definitely came in like a lion with all the crazy weather and then March went out like an overheated lamb… Yesterday was the warmest day the advisory area has seen yet. Today should be very similar. Not only are the mid-elevations expected to see wet avalanches, we could see wet avalanche activity on sunny slopes in the high Alpine. Wet loose avalanches will be the most likely, but wet/moist slabs are possible.  The snowpack has already seen many days of a springtime melt-freeze pattern in the low and mid-elevations and with clear skies we did get a freeze overnight. However, with the intensity of the sun and the warm temperatures should be paying close attention to the potential for natural avalanches occurring in the afternoon/evening on solar aspects as crust break down and slopes get mushy. 

A safe day in the mountains includes planning ahead. Don’t be an April Fool! Know the terrain you are traveling on and under and if it will be affected by the sun. The boot test is a great way to assess how the daytime warming is, or is not, affecting the surface. If your boot easily sinks into mushy wet snow, it’s time to get onto shaded slopes or off the one you are on and well away from any runouts. Wet loose avalanches can start small from a person pushing soft wet snow as they ski or ride. If the terrain is large enough, this small slide can entrain snow and turn into a large and unmanageable avalanche. 

CORNICES: Cornices are very large and direct sunshine will destabilize them. A cornice fall has the potential to trigger an avalanche on the slope below and could break farther back than expected. 

Temperatures on Sunburst (3800′) over the last week.  Note the high temperatures yesterday and the lower RH indicating clear skies at night allowing for a solid freeze. 

The avalanche danger on steep slopes on the southern end of the compass will increase to CONSIDERABLE this afternoon/evening. Play the aspects for the best conditions and to stay safe!

 Avalanche carnage on the southerly slopes of Tincan and in the Library. Avalanches from the past week and the storm avalanche cycle the week prior.

Avalanche Problem 2
  • Glide Avalanches
    Glide Avalanches
  • Certain
    Very Likely
    Likely
    Possible
    Unlikely
    Likelihood
  • Historic (D4-5)
    Very Large (D3)
    Large (D2)
    Small (D1)
    Size
Glide Avalanches
Glide Avalanches are the release of the entire snow cover as a result of gliding over the ground. Glide avalanches can be composed of wet, moist, or almost entirely dry snow. They typically occur in very specific paths, where the slope is steep enough and the ground surface is relatively smooth. They are often proceeded by full depth cracks (glide cracks), though the time between the appearance of a crack and an avalanche can vary between seconds and months. Glide avalanches are unlikely to be triggered by a person, are nearly impossible to forecast, and thus pose a hazard that is extremely difficult to manage.

Likelihood of Avalanches
Terms such as "unlikely", "likely", and "certain" are used to define the scale, with the chance of triggering or observing avalanches increasing as we move up the scale. For our purposes, "Unlikely" means that few avalanches could be triggered in avalanche terrain and natural avalanches are not expected. "Certain" means that humans will be able to trigger avalanches on many slopes, and natural avalanches are expected.

Size of Avalanches
Avalanche size is defined by the largest potential avalanche, or expected range of sizes related to the problem in question. Assigned size is a qualitative estimate based on the destructive classification system and requires specialists to estimate the harm avalanches may cause to hypothetical objects located in the avalanche track (AAA 2016, CAA 2014). Under this schema, "Small" avalanches are not large enough to bury humans and are relatively harmless unless they carry people over cliffs or through trees or rocks. Moving up the scale, avalanches become "Large" enough to bury, injure, or kill people. "Very Large" avalanches may bury or destroy vehicles or houses, and "Historic" avalanches are massive events capable of altering the landscape.

Signal Word Size (D scale) Simple Descriptor
Small 1 Unlikely to bury a person
Large 2 Can bury a person
Very Large 3 Can destroy a house
Historic 4 & 5 Can destroy part or all of a village
More info at Avalanche.org

Glide cracks are appearing throughout the advisory area and avalanching daily. Avoid traveling under glide cracks! Fresh glides avalanches were observed yesterday at 1:30 pm on Seattle Ridge and one was observed in motion at 4:30 pm on Tincan. The Seattle Ridge full depth avalanche that hit the uptrack Saturday is likely a glide that did not have a crack present before releasing; making our current avalanche situation more unpredictable. Remember, glides can release even if a hard surface crust is present (unlike the wet loose and wet slab avalanche problems). Many cracks are opening up in popular terrain and keep an eye out for them. 

Fresh glide avalanches observed at 1:30 pm yesterday, 3-31-19. These ran over old glide avalanches that released last week. 

 Glide avalanche that released on the uptrack on Saturday at 5:30 pm, 3-30-19. Photo: Travis Smith

Additional Concern
  • 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

South of Turnagain in Summit Lake and areas in the interior Kenai Peninsula have a very poor snow structure with variety of old weak layers in the mid pack (facets and buried surface hoar.) Triggering a persistent slab 2-3’ deep as slopes warm in the afternoon sun is possible at the upper elevations. The avalanche seen on Butch Mtn. in Summit Lake last week is a good reminder that sunny hot days can surprise us! Keep in mind deeper weak layers could be lurking in these areas and sunlit slopes are the most suspect.

Weather
Mon, April 1st, 2019

Yesterday: Clear and sunny skies with temperatures reaching as high as 40F at 4200′ and mid 50Fs at sea level. Winds were light. Overnight temperatures were slightly inverted with valley bottoms seeing high 20Fs and ridge tops low to mid 30Fs. Winds remained light.  

Today: Clear and sunny again with temperatures in the 30Fs to 50Fs and light northwest winds. Overnight temperatures will dip down again in the high 20Fs to mid 30Fs.  

Tomorrow: Clear and sunny with slightly cooler temperatures on tap for Tuesday and Wednesday. There is a chance of clouds on Thursday and maybe a little precipitation but the pattern change is still uncertain. Stay tuned! Finger crossed for spring powder???

PRECIPITATION 24-hour data (6am – 6am)

  Temp Avg (F) Snow (in) Water (in) Snow Depth (in)
Center Ridge (1880′) 40    0 0   67  
Summit Lake (1400′)  34      0 0   21  
Alyeska Mid (1700′)  41      0 0    59    

RIDGETOP 24-hour data (6am – 6am)

  Temp Avg (F) Wind Dir Wind Avg (mph) Wind Gust (mph)
Sunburst (3812′) 36   variable   3    13
Seattle Ridge (2400′) 39    E 2    8
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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.