Avalanche — Matanuska Valley, Alaska

2017-11-22 · Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Event narrative

An avalanche in Hatcher Pass took the life of a local ski coach. Strong winds earlier in the week and low snow caused the snowpack to be very unstable.

Wider weather episode

A 974 mb low moved southward across the Alaska Peninsula and into the Gulf of Alaska. Behind this low, a 1039 high was centered over the Western Aleutians. This caused a strong gradient with northerly flow over the Pribilof Islands, the eastern Aleutians, and the Alaska Peninsula. This storm strengthened in the Gulf of Alaska and moved onshore in the northern Panhandle. As a result, northerly gap winds intensified over the Prince William Sound.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 726780. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.