Lawinenlagebericht

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Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 4 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Today's storm will bring 4-8 inches of new snow by nightfall along with very strong winds. This combination will build slabs of wind-drifted snow that grow in size and become easier to trigger throughout the day. Expect to find these in both upper and middle elevation terrain.

The Avalanche Danger will continue to increase after dark as additional snow and strong winds build larger, more sensitive wind drifts.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    An intense storm will bring 3-7" of snow and very strong winds to this zone today. This combination will build wind slabs that increase in size and sensitivity throughout the day. Expect to find slabs forming in both obvious locations (near ridgelines) as well as in atypical locations (near mid-slope terrain features). If the snow you are traveling through becomes deeper and denser you've found a fresh slab. Cracks shooting out from in front of your skis or machine are clear indications that the slab you found is unstable. You can greatly reduce your risk of encountering an avalanche today by seeking out terrain that is sheltered from the wind. You'll also find better skiing and riding there.

    Today's snow will be falling on a variety of surfaces. In most locations, warm temperatures and abundant sunshine generated slick, icy melt-freeze crusts that will be buried by today's snow. Any slab or sluff you trigger will be able to pick up speed quickly as it travels downslope. If you head to upper elevations slopes that face the northern quarter of the compass you will find a more complex snowpack underneath the new snow. Here, a few different weak layers exist near the surface of the snowpack. We haven't seen any activity on these weak layers in over two weeks so it is hard to say with confidence how they will behave with today's loading event. Any slide that breaks on these weak layers will be larger and more destructive than a simple wind slab. 

    Snowfall and wind will continue after sunset and the likelihood of both human-triggered and natural avalanches will continue to increase.

Avalanche Discussion

Today will bring a return of winter to our region. It has been quite some time since we've dealt with dry snow problems in our neck of the woods. In fact, it looks like today's storm, although short-lived, may be the most intense we've seen since early January. Be prepared to shift your mindset as you head out today and be ready to dial back your ambitions through the day as the snow stacks up. If you start early today your likelihood of encountering an avalanche will be low. However, as the snow accumulates and the wind pushes it around, your likelihood of encountering avalanche problems will increase. By sunset it will be a different world out there, particularly in our northern and western mountains.

In most of our area, today's snow will provide the only avalanche hazard you'll be facing. But, if you head into upper elevation terrain on the northern quarter of the compass you'll find a more complex snowpack underneath the new snow. There is a fair bit of uncertainty around how the weak layers that still exist here will behave with today's loading event. We will have a better idea once the dust settles after this storm. You can significantly reduce this uncertainty by avoiding the terrain where these weak layers are at their worst: upper elevation terrain that faces north. 

Don't forget to pack an extra layer or two and your storm jacket today! It may be April but I suspect it will be feeling pretty wintery out there by this afternoon.

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