1. Sitka Landslide Response
Joel Curtis Warning and Coordination Meteorologist SE Alaska Subarea Committee Meeting March 4, 2016

2. Part 1 : Science SE Alaska : mudslides & landslides
Ecosystem and Geology
Threat Intersects Population & Infrastucture

3. Location Slope Vegetation: trunk & sail Veg: root systems
Soil and Rock strata
Soil Disturbance
“Old Slides”?

4. Kramer Ave Slide 8/18/15

5. Getting Slides Started
Saturated soil
Wind speed and direction versus slope
Initiation
Mass
Acceleration
WET
DELUGE

6. Weather Ingredients Rainfall Amount and Rate Snow Melt to add water
Strong Winds / Wind Shift
Freeze / Thaw cycles
1hr rainfall amounts from 4am-10am from Sitka Airport (right) and Sitka CRN(left)

7. Prediction
Problems in “QPF”
Wind is OK
Scale
Timing

8. Indian River Basin

9. Some Tricks Hydrographs Tape : brilliant Recon : “plop”
Size-up : water color

10. Plop!
Water COLOR!

11. Future: Predictable? Site Specific : NO !
Precursors : Yes, under development.
Mention : We try.
Deployment : Yes!

12. Part 2 : My Disaster Luck Emotions Finesse Information / Media
Community

13. Part 3 : Incident ICS Tech Specialist 12 -24 hours – Confidence
Relationships

14. Part 4 : My Lessons and the Future
You can’t know enough…
Be prepared.
Skills
Pass the torch !