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 will begin at Low below 4000 feet and move to Moderate as wet loose avalanches become possible during the heat of the day. The hazard above 4000 feet will remain at Moderate throughout the day due to the potential for lingering weak snow in steep complicated terrain.

Avalanche forecasts are issued Wednesday-Sunday at 8 am. April 30 will be the last avalanche forecast of the season.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Warm sunny conditions yesterday allowed the snowpack to further adjust towards a typical spring snowpack with shedding on steep solar aspects and a consolidation of the upper snowpack on shaded aspects.  Today will likely see a return to cloudy skies throughout the day which will limit wet loose activity to low elevations and south aspects below 4000'.  

    Pay attention to how much wet snow is at the surface in combination with the terrain you are traveling on.  In areas where more than 6 inches of wet snow exists on slopes 35° and steeper, wet loose avalanches will be possible both human triggered and natural.  The potential of wet loose activity directly correlates to the vertical relief of a slope combined with how wet the snow is.

    Plan your route to avoid slopes steeper than 35° with more than 6 inches of wet snow (can form a snowball that you can squeeze water out of). This includes the terrain you are travelling on as well as slopes above you.

    4/19- Active wet loose activity on the North Buttress of Mt Francis during sunny weather directly after heavy snowfall

    Photo: Gareth Brown

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    The persistent slab issue that was the main focus of last weekend has decreased in sensitivity and depth over the last 5 days of benign weather.  Warm temperatures during the last weak has caused settlement and promoted bonding at the 4/4 interface.  Yesterday's overnight freeze followed by a clear day allowed for further adjustment of the snowpack towards a more typical late April snowpack.

    Human triggered persistent slab avalanches 2-3+ feet in depth are possible in isolated areas of steep and complicated terrain within our core forecast zone.  Glaciated valleys outside of our forecast area may see this instability persist in more areas due to the April slab being deeper and needing more time for bonding to occur.

    Slope by slope assessment is advised when travelling in steep terrain.  Keep in mind that slab sensitivity can increase during the heat of the day as the upper snowpack heats up.

    (4/15/2025)

    Hiker triggered avalanche on Local Spines . Crown depth 3-4 feet/ 500-600 feet wide/ multiple step downs.

    SS-AFu-R3-D3

Avalanche Discussion

Observed Avalanche Activity last 72 hours: 

4/23- Helicopter skier was caught and carried in a small avalanche involving wind-loaded snow.  No injuries SS-ASc-R1-D2

Forecast Discussion:

The snowpack continues to transition to a spring setup.  Wet loose avalanches are the main concern and should be treated seriously on slopes steeper than 35° that are becoming active or have wet snow.  Cornices, icefalls, and snow bridges will all be affected by above freezing temperatures today and may become unstable.  Light snowfall is expected today above 2000' with only a trace of accumulation expected.

Although the likelihood is decreasing, large hazardous slab avalanches remain possible in steep complicated terrain. Moderate terrain is showing good stability when wet loose is not a concern.  The build up of snow during April along with limited sun for settlement is a complicated situation with warm temperatures causing a constant and rapid evolution of the snowpack.  These rapid changes can cause periods of stress in the snowpack with increased avalanche hazard during the heat of the day.  This could be in the form of wet loose instabilities as well as high north aspects with a deep slab that is rapidly gaining cohesion.  

The mountain snowpack is undergoing major changes right now driven by the sun and warm temperatures on cloudy days.  Pay close attention to how slopes are heating up and move around the hazards that above freezing temperatures create.

Additional Information:

Avoid Cornices. This is the time of year when cornices begin to fail naturally.  Cornice fall will have the potential to create large destructive avalanches.

A weather and snowpack season history is available by clicking on the Season Summary tab, which is located below the bottom line statement once you have entered the full forecast.

Season Snowfall Data

Location 24 hour Snowfall Inches- 4/26 24 hour Snow Water Equivalent Inches Height of Snow April Snowfall Inches Season Total Snowfall Valdez    0    0    22      2     N/O     Thompson Pass   0    0   N/O     N/O    ~500 Nicks    0    0    155    N/O N/O 46 Mile    0     0   8    10 N/O

Regions covered