Avalanche forecast

Continental

Valdez Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The Avalanche hazard is moderate at all elevations. Dangerous human-triggered avalanches will remain possible in specific areas where weak snow is buried 1-3 feet deep. Steep alpine slopes that have been windloaded will be the most hazardous today. We recommend choosing routes that avoid travel on large slopes over 32 degrees. 

Avalanche forecasts are issued Wednesday-Sunday at 8 am. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    We have been tracking and monitoring the1/26 weak layer for nearly 2 months now. The sensitivity of this problem has fluctuated over this time, depending on stresses added to the upper snowpack. Currently, the likelihood of triggering this layer is low, although the consequences of an avalanche would be high. 

    This problem is very hard to track due to variable distribution and poor visibility in snow pits. Assessing individual slopes will be difficult due to the absence of signs of instability even where the hazard is present. Manage your terrain by staying off large connected faces and runout zones, spacing out, and riding one at a time to mitigate this problem. Previously windloaded terrain will be the most hazardous. Consider your risk vs reward when choosing to travel on or below large, steep alpine slopes. Conservative terrain selection is recommended to avoid this low likelihood but destructive problem that is hard to assess.

    Windslab: Scattered windslabs are becoming unlikely for a human to trigger, but there may be a few stubborn pockets out there with weak faceted snow underneath that could be sensitive to a human trigger. 

    HS-N-R2-D3-O

    Natural persistent slab avalanche on Averys/SW that failed at a PWL on 2/20 and ran full path ~3800'.

    Photo: Gareth Brown

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2.5–3.5

    Weak snow near the ground is increasingly common as you move North through our forecast zones, with the Continental zone being the most concerning. Although it still remains unlikely to trigger this layer, areas that have been scoured from strong northeast winds now have a shallower snowpack, making this layer closer to the surface and potentially easier for a rider to trigger.

    This is a low-likelihood but high-consequence problem most likely to be triggered in steep, rocky terrain and areas where the snowpack is thin or scoured. Triggering this layer directly is unlikely at this time, but avalanches that start in the upper snowpack could step down to the basal weak layer.  There is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the poor structure at the base of the snowpack.  

    (2/25/2026)

    Deep slab natural avalanche on The Wall / north/~5800'.  Failed sometime in mid February

    Photo: Jed Workman

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche activity in the last 72 hours:  D1.5 windslab released naturally on Hogback

Forecast Discussion

There has been little change in conditions over the last 24 hours. Our snowpack continues to be under a period of low stress, but we still have concerns about buried persistent weak layers that have been on our radar all winter. It will be unlikely to find signs of instability today, but we are still concerned that a person or machine could trigger a destructive avalanche in specific areas where stubborn slabs overlie persistent weak layers.  This long-duration persistent/deep persistent problem, combined with a low snow year, has made for an atypical spring season in Valdez.These layers appear to be in a period of relative dormancy for now, but ever-changing conditions could increase sensitivity in the future. You can expect to hear more about our ongoing persistent weak layer problem as the situation continues to develop. 

Looking forward, light snow accumulation likely this weekend will be followed by another NE wind event early next week.

For more information regarding our snowpack, see our Season summary, Observations, and avalanche activity sections.  

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