Welcome to the Valdez Avalanche Center

Valdez Avalanche Center provides avalanche information addressing the common access points and areas traveled from the Port of Valdez out to Mile 60 of the Richardson Highway.

Public observations are encouraged and aid the accuracy of bulletins.

NEWS and EVENTS:

Thanks to all who came out April 13 for the spring FUN raiser! Super FUN with the Super Saturated Sugar Strings. Thank you to the businesses and individuals who donated time, gear, and money supporting avalanche information and education in Alaska. Supporters list
Congratulations to the Valdez Snowmachine Club and winners of the 2013 Mountain Man Hill Climb April 19-21.
2013 Southcentral Alaska Snow and Avalanche Conference, November 1, Anchorage
VAC Observer Program: contribute your avalanche, snow, and weather observations to Valdez Avalanche Center and win a $60 gift certificate to the 32 Lounge and Grill. 32 has donated a gift certificate for each month of winter, so what are you waiting for? Submit your obs and WIN.
Thanks to the City of Valdez and all our local supporters!
New guidebook: Chuting Valdez – Steep backcountry skiing in and around Valdez.
Check out our community’s snow observations page.

Share your observations, learn from your friends, improve the bulletin, stay informed.

Be a supporter – Members, Donors, and Sponsors Please consider contributing if you use the avalanche bulletin and/or benefit from the avalanche education opportunities in our community. If you aren’t in the position to make a financial donation, we are always looking for volunteers to help at local events. Thank you!

Monday to Thursday, May 20-23, 2013

monday	tuesday	wednesday & thursday

Danger Scale

DANGER TREND: The danger is steady. The danger increases with daytime warming and decreases with overnight cooling.

AVALANCHE PROBLEMS:

Wet Avalanches: Moist and wet snow avalanches are triggered with daytime warming.

List of Avalanche Problems <here>

TRAVEL ADVISORY: Timing is everything. Avoid avalanche terrain during the heat of the day. The same snow which is solid in the morning becomes a quivering bowl of jelly while melting in the afternoon. Expect: 1) to be able to trigger wet snow avalanches, and 2) afternoon avalanches to run after 10:00am on east aspects and avalanches off all aspects between noon and 7:00pm, possibly later off due west aspects, and 3) glide crack avalanche releases at any time of the day.

AVALANCHES: Moist and wet snow avalanches continue to run during the heat of the day. Gouging into the old snow is evident with the dirty debris. A few upper elevation storm snow slab avalanches released with the clear skies May 19 and 20.

Numerous slab avalanches above the Port show the elevation of near isothermal snow on north aspects.

Avalanches are sized using the destructive scale <here>

WEATHER: Sunny. Spring is finally arriving as the temperatures warm up.

SNOWPACK DISCUSSION: Above 2500 feet elevation more than 70 inches of snow has fallen in May. The May 14-18 storm brought 25 inches of snow to Thompson Pass with 4.1 inches of snow water equivalent.

There is intense solar radiation. The sun rises at 4:45am and sets at 10:45pm.

Expect a widespread cycle of avalanche activity starting May 22-26 when the temperatures in the upper elevation get above 50 degrees F and the spring shed begins in earnest. The questions are – how much gouging of the old snow will occur, particularly from the upper elevations and where will the isothermal snowpack release slab avalanches?

Please contribute to the Snow Observations page. Photos and observations are welcomed.

SNOW and Precipitation updated May 21:

	VALDEZ	THOMPSON PASS
24 Hour Snow	0″	0″
May Snow	27.3″	66″
Winter Total	404.6″	432″
Base	28″	66″
24 Hr Water Equivalent	0″	0″
May Water Equivalent	10.66″	9.5″
Valdez Snow Load	66.6 lbs / sq ft

May 1st Snow Survey
location	depth of snow / snow water equivalent / density
Valdez	61″ / 23″ / 38%
Milepost 18	50″ / 18″ / 35%
Worthington Glacier	62″ / 22″ / 36%
Milepost 37	40″ / 12″ / 30%

CONFIDENCE: Good.

DEFINITIONS: Forecast Areas:

Area 1: Portside
Area 2: East of Keystone Canyon, South of highway switchback, out to Copper River
Area 3: North of highway out to Mile 37
Area 4: Past Mile 37 to Mile 60 both sides of highway

Snow climate zones:

Maritime (Coastal) – from the Port of Valdez to Thompson Pass, all waters flowing into Valdez Arm and everything south of Marshall Pass.
Inter-mountain (Transitional) – between Thompson Pass and Rendezvous Lodge.
Continental (Interior) – the dry north side of the Chugach (north of 46 Mile, including the Tonsina River).

Elevations:

Below treeline – below 2000 feet
Above treeline – above 2000 feet

Valdez Avalanche Center

Public Safety Snow Avalanche Information

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Monday to Thursday, May 20-23, 2013

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