Lawinenlagebericht

Northern New Mexico

Taos Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist, but if you are getting out to enjoy the warm weather, there are a couple of avalanche concerns to watch for.  Northerly facing slopes continue to weaken and are mainly fully faceted. In steep and exposed terrain, it's possible to trigger a dry loose snow avalanche that gouges into depth hoar and facets near the ground. Loose wet snow avalanches are possible on solar aspects, with another warm, sunny day on tap and light winds. Expect the snow surface to become wet by the afternoon.   

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Dry

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1

    In steep northerly terrain near and below treeline the shallow snowpack is fully cohesionless. It's just facets and depth hoar with ski penetration near the ground. In very steep terrain, it's possible to trigger a small, dry, loose snow avalanche that gouges into weaker snow near the ground. These avalanches would be relatively small, but could still be dangerous in exposed terrain or where there are terrain traps below. 

    Dry loose snow avalanches like this one are possible as the snowpack is mainly just facets and depth hoar. These avalanches have the potential to gouge into snow near the ground like this one. 

    (1/26/2026) Photo: Andy Bond

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1

    With another day of warm temperatures and light winds, expect solar aspects to warm by the afternoon.  These avalanches tend to start in steep terrain by sunbathed rocks starting out as a point release that can fan out further down the slope. Overnight temps continue to remain well below freezing so instabilities should stay to the surface, but with such a weak and shallow snowpack it could be possible for a smaller wet loose avalanche to gouge down into weaker snow near the ground. You can avoid this problem by staying off of steep sunny slopes in the afternoon. 

    Wet loose snow avalanches like these are possible on solar aspects later in the day as temperatures warm above freezing. 

    Photo: Charlie Harrison (3/9/2024)

     

Avalanche Discussion

Warm spring-like weather is expected for us through the weekend into Tuesday, before we hopefully see a weather pattern change bringing some much-needed moisture. Yesterday was another hot one, with temperatures approaching 50 F around 9000.  Today will be a couple of degrees cooler, and a little bit of cloud cover by the afternoon should help block our already intense sun. West and east aspects have formed crusts on the surface, while northerly and shady aspects continue to weaken. Southern aspects have melted back to bare ground. 

If you are getting out, there are a couple of avalanche problems to watch out for, but they are easy to manage and avoid. Warm sunny days and cold, clear nights are helping drive a faceting process in the shallow snowpack on northerly aspects. Steep terrain on these shady aspects is where you can trigger dry loose snow avalanches that gouge into depth hoar near the ground. This is also where you'll find the softest snow, but ski or boot penetration will be close to the ground.  

With another warm and mostly sunny day in store, small loose wet avalanches will be possible, mainly on east and west aspects where there's snow. Watch for roller balls or pinwheels, as these are indications that the snow surface is getting wet. If you're planning on heading out its never a bad idea to get an early start with a plan for an early exit as snow surfaces warm up.  You can always head to shadier aspect if you notice the snow surface becoming wet and gloppy.  

It's low tide; ground hazards continue to remain a big concern as the snowpack is generally 1 to 3 feet deep. There is still hope for a return to winter by the middle of next week, with hopefully a more active weather pattern through the end of February. The avalanche danger will remain low until we see some more snow. Hopefully, everyone is enjoying the warm weather and other outdoor pursuits.  

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