Turnagain Pass
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Winter storm watch warns of possible 70 mph gusts in Turnagain Arm and Whittier
A storm moving into Southcentral Alaska on Monday is bringing snow that's expected to turn to freezing rain and then rain by Tuesday, with strong winds overnight along Turnagain Arm and in Whittier.
The National Weather Service has winter weather advisories out for Anchorage, the Lower Matanuska Valley, East Turnagain Arm, Turnagain Pass and the Interior Kenai Peninsula.
The heaviest snow is expected on the Seward Highway over Turnagain Pass. The advisory there calls for 3 to 10 inches through 6 am Tuesday, with the most from Turnagain Pass to Tern Lake, including the Hope Cutoff.
Up to a tenth of an inch of ice could build up from the Hope Cutoff to Hope, and a light glaze is possible from Turnagain Pass to Tern Lake.
"Travel could be very difficult," the weather service said, and visibility could drop sharply in heavy snow. The changeover to all rain is expected Tuesday morning.
Over the weekend, the weather service had issued a winter storm watch, a higher level of alert, for much of the area from Turnagain Arm and Whittier through the Kenai Mountains. By Monday morning, it had replaced the watch with advisories for Turnagain Pass, the Interior Kenai Peninsula and East Turnagain Arm.
In Girdwood and along East Turnagain Arm, an advisory runs from 1 pm Monday to 1 am Tuesday, followed by a wind advisory from 1 am to 9 am Tuesday. The forecast for Alyeska calls for snow changing to rain overnight, with the rain heavy at times and gusts to 40 mph.
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Latest
October 2026
Multiple crashes in Turnagain Pass slow Seward Highway traffic Friday
Several crashes and poor road conditions in Turnagain Pass on the Seward Highway brought emergency crews and delays Friday afternoon, Alaska 511 said.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read
Two drivers hospitalized after four-vehicle crash at Seward Highway mile 74
Two drivers were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after a four-vehicle crash at Seward Highway mile 74 on Thursday when rain and snow caused a Prius to lose control.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readFrom 
Driver ejected in Glenn Highway rollover near mile marker 34
A pickup driver suffered serious injuries Wednesday when his truck rolled on Glenn Highway near mile marker 34, ejecting him into northbound traffic.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
State tells drivers to stay off the Denali Highway as seasonal maintenance ends
The Denali Highway goes unplowed until spring starting today. Unless you've got a snowmachine or a dog team, the state says stay off it until May 15.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read
September 2026
Up to 11 inches of snow expected on Richardson Highway through Isabel Pass
Up to 11 inches of snow is headed for Isabel Pass, and forecasters say it could be the snow that sticks around all winter. Take it slow on the Richardson.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Interior awards $8,360 for helicopter service to Tincan and Indian Pass snow sensors
Interior awarded $8,360 to Alpine Air Alaska to maintain two remote snow sensors that feed avalanche forecasts for Turnagain Pass and Indian Pass through October.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
August 2026
Snow and 40 mph gusts are forecast for the Richardson Highway on the last day of August
Snow is heading for Isabel Pass on the last day of August: 4 to 8 inches above 2,000 feet, north winds gusting to 40 mph, and a work zone underneath it.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
High wind warning: gusts to 70 mph Friday in the Eastern Alaska Range
Forecasters upgraded Friday's Eastern Alaska Range wind forecast to a warning. Gusts to 70 mph are expected, peaking between 4 and 10 in the morning.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
More from Turnagain Pass
Thursday's lane closure at mile 89 on the Richardson Highway is off Alaska 511's list
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It's July, and it's snowing on the road to the Arctic
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by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Seward Highway closed both directions at Mile 69 after collision
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Teen airlifted after horse kick on Johnson Pass Trail
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June 2026
Troopers recover paddleboarder's body from Turnagain Arm sandbar
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April 2026
Two Skiers Rescued After Avalanche Near Turnagain Pass
Two skiers were rescued by helicopter Thursday after an avalanche at Falls Creek Trail near Turnagain Pass, with both sustaining injuries requiring hospital transport.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAbout Turnagain Pass
Turnagain Pass is a mountain pass on the Seward Highway in Southcentral Alaska, at the top of the Kenai Peninsula within the Chugach National Forest. The highway through it links Anchorage with the Kenai Peninsula, which makes the pass a heavily traveled corridor about an hour south of the city.
In winter the pass is a popular area for snowmachining and backcountry skiing, and its slopes are avalanche terrain. Remote snow sensors at Turnagain Pass and nearby Indian Pass feed the avalanche forecasts that backcountry travelers rely on, and avalanches near trails such as Falls Creek have led to helicopter rescues. On the highway itself, rain, snow and slick pavement bring crashes, delays and closures.