Dangerous avalanche conditions. Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding and conservative decision making are essential today. Time is needed for the snowpack to adjust to this storm's influence.

FAIR with cooling temps and heavy snowfall slowing.

Steady

 

Many large natural avalanche paths (size 3) ran to and crossed the highway yesterday and last night.

There has been up to 5 and a half feet of new snow since Thursday near Thompson Pass. 46 mile saw 30 inches in 24 hours yesterday. The storm snow has been drifted by strong to extreme (>40mph) east and southeast winds.

Waist deep new snow at some places in Thompson Pass.
 
At lower elevations: under the new snow there is an amalgam of buried crusts with weakness between and beneath them.

Buried surface hoar and near surface facets in upper elevations and the thinner, colder snow climate zone, have reacted in the last week to human triggers pulling out 3' slabs. These persistent weak layers may be buried more than 5' now.

1) Weaknesses within the storm snow.
2) Facets and surface hoar now buried deeper than 2-5 feet.

Valdez NWS: Snow showers, possible additional accumulation up to 1 foot by Wednesday. Light to moderate south wind shifting north tonight.

1) What is the strength and distribution of the deeply buried facets and surface hoar?
2) What does it take to trigger the new storm snow/windslabs?

We need your eyeballs.
If you see an avalanche, please email <alaskasnow.org@gmail.com>. Your observations may save a life!