Avalanche forecast

Continental

Valdez Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche hazard is moderate above 2000'.  Human triggered avalanches are possible less than 1 foot in depth in specific areas.  This includes places where the wind is loading new snow that falls today into deeper pockets or areas that have received more than 8 inches of new snow. Natural avalanches are unlikely.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Snowfall skipped our area yesterday and stayed off to the west.  The forecast looks favorable for snowfall today, although accumulations look light as the current front is decaying as it moves inland.  A Moderate hazard level has been posted due to the uncertainty of snowfall amounts today and the potential for a late arrival of snowfall that could begin to put stress on a weak layer of snow.

    Faceted snow exists at the surface that will likely act as a weak interface if snowfall does materiaize.  Lower snowfall amounts will be required to create unstable storm slabs than what is typical due to the faceted snow mentioned above.  Watch for areas of wind loading where even a small amount of new snow could be stacked up into deeper pockets on the lee side of terrain features and ridge lines and be more sensitive to human triggers.  

     Since the weak layer is very close to the surface signs of instability such as shooting crack and/or collapsing will likely be present where unstable snow exists.  Keep in mind that even shallow avalanches can be dangerous if they occur in consequential terrain or above terrain traps where the debris can stack up deeply.

    Areas where new snowfall is less than 4 inches and recent windloading has not occurred the hazard will be low.

     

    (1/2/2024)

    Surface Hoar and near surface facets from RFS at ~3000' 1/2

    Photo: Gareth Brown

Avalanche Discussion

As of 6 am both Valdez and Thompson Pass had only received a trace of new snowfall with light snowfall occurring.   An increase in the hazard level will directly correlate with snowfall totals that  occur today.  A stable snowpack was in place as of 1/3, although facets exist at the surface.  Once these facets become buried with new snow expect to find storm snow instabilities at the surface.  If snowfall totals remain light instabilities will be limited to slopes that have been loaded deeper by wind.  These could exist on a variety of aspects as wind has been blowing from multiple directions.

Pay attention to new snowfall amouts and the winds affect on the surface of the snow.

Glide cracks are opening up and have released lately in the Maritime zone.  Avoid traveling beneath glide cracks.  See the Maritime section for more information.

Valdez season snowfall: 144 inches

Valdez January snowfall: 0 inches

Valdez height of snowpack: 53 inches

Thompson Pass snowfall data is currently unavalable

46 mile height of snowpack: 68 inches

Regions covered