sitkalandslide.org

A web-based dashboard to communicate landslide early warning based on the current and forecast likelihood of landslides. The warnings are generated from models developed by a team of scientists studying landslides in Sitka, Alaska. The level of risk is based on the National Weather Service’s current and forecast rainfall from the Sitka Airport and historical landslide information gathered over the past 20 years. The dashboard also includes maps of landslide susceptibility which convey hazardous areas in Sitka from landslide runout zones. The model compares conditions when landslides have occurred in the past in combination with observed precipitation measurements to determine the likelihood that a landslide will occur, which is converted to a low, medium, or high landslide risk level. Posted risk levels are combined with recommended actions to guide community members toward emergency preparedness and informed decision-making during periods of elevated hazard, with the goal of protecting human life. More system information can be found in the publication “Landslide initiation thresholds in data-sparse regions: application to landslide early warning criteria in Sitka, Alaska, USA”.

Refer to the National Weather Service for additional actionable information. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Who runs this dashboard? Is it connected to the City of Sitka? A: This dashboard is hosted by the Sitka Sound Science Center in collaboration with other organizations. It is a non-governmental resource.

Q: What data feeds the model? A: Rainfall data from the Sitka Airport

Q: Will I receive warning notifications? A: No, it is a web-based dashboard. It does not issue alerts.

Q: The page hasn’t updated. What does that mean? A: There are some inherent delays in data processing. If the main landing page hasn’t updated for more than an hour, there may be an issue with data delivery. If the delay is over 1 hour long, please email landslides@sitkascience.org or contact the National Weather Service. Refer to the NWS for the most current weather information.

Q: How is sitkalandslide.org funded? A: This work was funded by the National Science Foundation (grant number 1831770, 2018-2022 Award Abstract) but does not currently have grant funding for maintenance. Basic maintenance and updates occur through the Sitka Sound Science Center Research Department. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting the maintenance of sitkalandslide.org through financial support, input, or research, please contact landslides@sitkascience.org