Lawinenlagebericht

Northern New Mexico

Taos Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
4 · Gross
Waldgrenze
4 · Gross
Unterhalb
3 · Erheblich
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Kernpunkte

An Avalanche Warning is in effect throughout the day today through the night.  Continued snow and wind loading have created very dangerous avalanche conditions. Large dangerous human-triggered and natural avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Very Likely
    Größe
    2

    Continued snow and wind are building 3 to 4-foot cohesive slabs on the surface over several faceted weak layers deeper down in the snowpack. Recent natural and human triggered persistent slab avalanches is a good indication that the added weight of the new snow over the last three days has greatly stressed the faceted persistent weak layers.  There are several faceted weak layers of concern in the snowpack with the most likely weak layer to trigger being the buried near-surface facets that formed during the 3 week high-pressure period before these storms. Below treeline, slabs rest on top of an entirely faceted snowpack to the ground.   A persistent slab avalanche that initially fails in an upper faceted weak layer has a chance to step down into deeper faceted weak layers creating a larger unsurvivable avalanche.

    Pay attention to obvious signs of instability like collapsing and shooting cracks. You can trigger a persistent slab avalanche from the flats below or adjacent slopes. Stay off of or underneath slopes that are greater than 30 degrees as we may see avalanches running long distances today.

    Remotely triggered persistent slab avalanche from well below the crown on 1/25. This avalanche failed on facets near the ground.

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Storm slabs have been building over the last 3 days and with more snow and wind in the forecast today these slabs could be 3 to 4 feet thick.  Storm slabs may fail within the new snow or at the old snow/new snow interface.  We are finding storm slabs to be more sensitive and thicker near and above treeline, where winds over the last several days have been able to drift snow into more cohesive slabs.

    A smaller storm slab avalanche failing in the new snow has the potential of stepping down into deeper weak layers creating a larger more destructive avalanche.  Look for obvious signs of instability like shooting cracks on the surface and wind drifted pillows.  

    Small storm slab trigged from where the photo was taken on a small test slope.

Avalanche Discussion

Update 8 AM: The forecast is verifying early this morning with 1 - 2" an hour snowfall rates over the last several hours and west winds picking up in the 20 mph range.  Stay safe out there!  

It's been an active last several days with 16 to 24 inches of snow and over 2" of snow water equivalent (SWE) at higher elevations. Continued snow today where if the forecast verifies we could pick up an additional 6 to 10 inches of snow with moderate west winds. This will continue to build slabs and add weight to the already stressed faceted weak layers.  

Yesterday natural and human-triggered avalanches were observed at all elevations.  Most slopes we were traveling on collapsed with wide propagating shooting cracks and occasionally you'd look up and see a powder cloud off in the distance. We were able to observe large debris piles from natural avalanches above treeline mainly on North and East aspect where we've seen the most amount of loading. In several cases, these avalanches stepped down into deeper weak layers closer to the ground. Below treeline slabs are smaller but rest on top of weak faceted snow all the way to the ground. Avalanches in this terrain yesterday were also able to propagate wide distances and entraining all the snow to the ground producing impressive debris piles where they piled up in terrain traps. 

It's really pretty simple today. There is a good likelihood that you will trigger an avalanche if you get into steep terrain. It's a good day to ski or ride at a resort or curl up by the fire with a book and let mother nature run her course. If you are dead set on getting out there, be aware that we are triggering large destructive avalanches from well below steep slopes.  Be aware of you're surroundings and what may be above you, avoiding avalanche path runouts.

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