The worst of the storm has passed, but we're not out of the woods yet. Avalanche hazard remains considerable, with wind slab continuing to form through Friday.
Gale northwesterly winds will build wind slab on sheltered NE through to SW facing slopes near ridgeline on Friday.
Avoid recently loaded terrain and watch out for deeper drifts of stiff, wind-deposited snow.
A warm day on Friday could kick off loose wet avalanches, especially on sunny slopes if the sun comes out. Most of these will have flushed out on Thursday, but watch out for rollerballing and take care around terrain traps where even a small slide could sweep you off cliffs, into rocks, or bury you deeply in a gulley.
Observations remain limited by bad weather. Ohau Ski Patrol reported:
27/8/26: Several size 1 loose dry avalanches below 1750m in the morning, and several size 1 loose wet avalanches at higher elevations in the afternoon as temperatures warmed.
26/8/26: Several size 1 loose wet avalanches from ski cutting at around 1900m on NE and SE aspects.
We still have limited field observations due to the ongoing storm.
The forecast area received roughly 40cm of new snow on Thursday. A warming trend through Thursday has meant the new snow is moist below around 1800m. This trend is expected to continue overnight, with freezing level rising to 2100m.
Below around 2200m the lower snowpack is saturated. Above 2200m up to an estimated 50cm of new snow fell on the tops of the highest peaks in the south of the forecast area, and over a metre of new snow is estimated to have fallen at higher elevations near the Divide. This snow has been redistributed into deep stiff wind drifts by sustained gale NW winds, with scoured crusts (now mostly buried) in exposed areas. Buried facets have probably survived at these elevations but there's no indication that these are causing any problems.
Scattered rain, heavy about the Main Divide and falling as snow above 1300 metres, clearing throughout the afternoon as fine breaks develop.
Wind at 1000 metres: Gale northwesterly 65 km/h.
Wind at 2000 metres: Severe gale northwesterly 120 km/h, easing to westerly gale 70 km/h about the Mackenzie Basin early evening.
Freezing level: 2100 metres, lowering to 1800 metres about the Divide in the morning, and elsewhere in the evening.
Gale northwesterly winds will strip ridgelines back to a slick crust on Friday. Take an ice axe and crampons for ridge travel.
Low
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)
