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.  It will be possible for a person or machine to trigger an avalanche 1-3 feet deep.  Natural avalanches are unlikely today.

Avalanche forecasts are issued Wednesday-Sunday at 8 am. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Wet loose activity became a concern this week as recent snowfall was rapidly warmed by the strong April sun and numerous small to large avalanches occurred. Today, activity is expected to remain limited and mostly confined to lower elevations, as cloud cover should reduce solar input and melt-freeze crusts above 2000' are not expected to break down.

    Wet loose activity is expected to increase again in the coming days once the sun returns and begins heating any new snow that falls with the current low pressure system. Watch for signs of instability such as rollerballs and moist to wet snow deeper than a few inches. The most affected slopes will change throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. Steep rocky terrain is often the first to become active during periods of strong sun, as rocks warm quickly and transfer heat to the surrounding snow. Keep wet loose avalanches in mind when planning your route.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Persistent Slab: Over the last week, 4–10 inches of snow accumulated above 1000', followed by strong sun and increasing temperatures. This was the first moderate stress the snowpack had seen in quite some time, and sensitivity increased immediately, with numerous skier-triggered avalanches reported and observed on 4/9. Users should take those observations as a clear sign that our snowpack remains weak and that even modest additional stress can quickly increase snowpack sensitivity.

    The chances of triggering an avalanche are lower today as the snowpack has had time to adjust to the new load and cloud cover will limit the sun’s effect on snow surfaces. Light snowfall today is not expected to significantly increase the hazard. Even so, it will still be possible to trigger an avalanche 1–3 feet deep where stiffer slabs overlie faceted snow. This problem is difficult to identify due to the high degree of spatial variability in our snowpack. Digging or probing for stiffer snow over weaker faceted snow can help identify areas of concern.  Choosing simple terrain, avoiding steep rocky slopes where facets are likely to exist, and limiting exposure to terrain traps remain the best ways to reduce risk today.

    Deep Persistent Slab: Weak snow buried over a meter deep becomes more widespread as you move north through our forecast zones, with the Continental zone remaining the most concerning. Although it is still unlikely to trigger this layer, slopes that have been scoured by strong northeast winds now have a shallower snowpack, bringing this weak layer closer to the surface and making it easier to affect in isolated areas.

    This remains a low-likelihood, high-consequence problem that may become more concerning as warming temperatures penetrate deeper into our weak snowpack in the coming days. Probing for a shallower snowpack and strong snow over weaker layers below can help identify areas where this problem may be more likely.

    (4/9/2026)

    D2 avalanche triggered remotely while skinning.  Failed on old persistent weak layer after party had already skinned through the area.  

    Wortmans, The Island, ~2800', North

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche activity in the last 72 hours:  

4/9/26:

-Widespread natural wet loose to D2.5 throughout all zones up to ridgetops on Solar aspects

- No Name Creek: 2 human-triggered avalanches believed to be persistent slab D2.5, D2

(4/9/2026)

1-D2 and 1-D 2.5 skier triggered avalanche.

No Name Creek/ ~5k NE+ N-NW 

Photo: Gareth Brown

-Gully2: Human Triggered D1.5  storm slab mid-mountain Gulley 2

 

-The Island: Human (remote) triggered D2 persistent slab 2 ft deep

Forecast Discussion: 

Spring conditions have finally arrived, with temperatures returning to seasonal norms after an exceptionally cold and dry winter. Strong solar input and above-freezing temperatures have formed melt-freeze crusts on all aspects up to 3000'. Above 3000', northerly aspects are still holding dry snow from the 4–10 inches of snowfall on 4/8–4/9. This new snow has generally bonded well, but near-surface facets exist at and below the interface in some locations and may become a concern once additional snowfall arrives.

The mid and upper snowpack remain highly variable, with weak snow lingering in isolated areas. Although the snowpack has had time to adjust to recent stress, isolated trigger points likely remain and it is still possible to trigger a dangerous avalanche.

Please consider leaving an observation with storm totals and/or any signs of instability or avalanche activity that you encounter to help us paint a clearer picture of this complex and unusual snowpack. 

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

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