Avalanche forecast

Continental

Valdez Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

The avalanche hazard is Considerable at all elevations.  Recent snowfall accumulation of up to 2 feet at mid to upper elevations has created sensitive storm slabs. Human-triggered avalanches involving the new snow are still possible today. Lower elevations with wet snow have the potential for wet loose avalanches. If the sun comes out today, the wet loose hazard will likely spread to higher elevation solar aspects. Pay attention to new snow depths and consistency to determine avalanche hazard today. 

 

 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    There remains a possibility of triggering a storm slab up to 2 feet deep in upper elevations today. New snow has fallen on a variety of old surfaces, including weak faceted snow and crusts in some areas.  The distribution of these weak layers is inconsistent, so travelers may encounter varying degrees of stability as they travel through different zones and aspects. It is good practice to use low consequence test slopes to asses stability before entering steeper or unfamilliar terrain. Conservative terrain choices and cautious route finding are recommended.  Only expose one person at a time to avalanche-prone slopes and maintain good communication within your group.

    Multiple storm systems of varying intensity have brought significant amounts of moisture to our area over the last week. Below 2000 feet, precipitation has been mostly rain with little or no snow accumulation. Above this, snow depths gradually increase to up to 2 feet at higher elevations. Poor visibility has limited the amount of observations collected over the last week, but a few recent breaks in the weather have allowed for a quick look at conditions. Several human-triggered avalanches involving the new snow have been reported as recently as 4/9. Observations were limited yesterday, so there is some uncertainty on how things are progressing. Due to this uncertainty, we are keeping the hazard at considerable for today. A bit calmer weather for the next 24-48 hours will give way to stormy conditions by the end of the weekend. Expect the continued development of storm slabs for the foreseeable future. Dynamic springtime weather can quickly change the stability at this time of year, so stay tuned for updates. 

     

     

    Skier triggered avalanche on the Nose of Crudbusters. 20 inches deep.  SS-ASu-R3-D2-I

    Photo: Oliver

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Our snowpack has become saturated to the ground below 1500 feet. A saturated snowpack may also exist at higher elevations on sunny aspects. It will be possible to trigger wet loose avalanches in steep lower elevation terrain today. Use caution in areas with punchy, wet, unsupportable snow. If the sun pops out, wet loose activity will expand to higher elevations, starting with East aspects in the morning and then moving S to SW later in the day. Late-day sun may also affect NW aspects. Recent storm snow that becomes moist will likely produce natural and human-triggered avalanches with the input of solar radiation. 

     

     

     

    (4/2/2025)

    Skier triggered wet loose avalanche near Worthington Glacier toe.

    Photo: Gareth Brown

Avalanche Discussion

Observed Avalanche Activity last 72 hours: 

Multiple D1-2 Skier triggered avalanches were reported in Gully 1, North Oddessey, and Crudbusters

Forecast Discussion:

Although we may experience some breaks in the weather for the short term, we expect additional storm pulses to move into the area throughout the coming week. Storm slabs will continue to develop and will likely be the primary problem on our list for the foreseeable future. Wet loose hazards will also be a familiar sight on our list of problems for the remainder of the year. The problem type encountered will continue to depend on aspect, elevation, and time of day. Even if you find good stability, be sure to continuously evaluate the snowpack and the effect the weather is having on it. Conditions can change quickly at this time of year, potentially catching travelers off guard. 

Cloudy weather with poor visibility has been limiting observations for the last week, creating some uncertainty. We hope to gain more information about storm slab characteristics during brief windows of opportunity over the next couple of days. Public observations are highly appriciated and can help fill in gaps in our knowledge. Please use our observation platform to communicate what you see out there. Reporting observed avalanche activity is especially helpful. Thanks to those who have been contributing! 

The 3/16 layer of Buried surface hoar has been removed from our avalanche problem list.  Continued observation of this layer within our forecast area has shown the weak layer in question to be highly deformed (rounding), laying flat, mixed with other rounded grains, and unreactive in stability tests.  The most recent spike in temperatures has further decreased the likelihood of this layer being reactive in our forecast area as warm temperatures and moisture continue to promote rounding and mixing of the layer with other rounded grains.  This layer should continue to be monitored for those traveling outside of the forecast area, especially in zones to the south and east of Marshall Pass, where this layer continues to be reported as preserved. 

Additional Information:

Watch out for cornices. A couple of cornice falls have been observed in the Continental region, as well as more remote zones outside the forecast area.

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- 4/10 24 hour Snow Water Equivalent Inches Height of Snow April Snowfall Inches Season Total Snowfall Valdez    0    .15    35     0 N/O     Thompson Pass    2    N/O   N/O     0    ~500 Nicks    1    N/O    140    0 N/O 46 Mile    0     0   18    0 N/O

Regions covered