Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous and you could trigger a large and destructive avalanche on steep south-facing, east-facing and north-facing slopes. Carefully planned travel, terrain management, and snowpack assessments are critical for safer travel in avalanche terrain today. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    What and where is it:

    You could trigger a large and destructive wind slab today on north, east, and south-facing terrain. Today’s problem encompasses older large wind slabs formed from February 4th’s snow and new wind slabs developing today that could add to the size and sensitivity. As new snow falls and begins to move, it could add to the size of lingering wind slabs, build new ones, and bury surfaces making visual observations difficult.

    How can you recognize it: 

    Before the snow starts, look for smooth, rounded, pillows of wind-drifted snow compared to wind-textured surfaces. As new snow starts to fall and is transported by wind, if you have visibility, look for blowing snow at ridgelines for signs that new wind slabs are likely building and may be increasing the size of older slabs. Shooting cracks under your feet or soft snow that is deeper than the top of your boots are warning signs of the avalanche problem. The avalanches today have the potential to be large and if you find an older slab it may give limited warning signs.

    How can you manage it:

    Terrain management is an essential tool today, limit your overhead hazard, travel one at a time, and assess features that may be harboring a more sensitive wind slab like underneath ridgelines, cliffs, convex features, or in narrow gullies.

    Photo: Charlotte MacDonald

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–3

    What and where is it:

    Old hard slabs are sitting on a buried persistent grain layer and continue to show the potential for instability above an ice crust bed surface. Forecasters have identified this structure as having the potential to slide on east and south aspects above 4000 feet, including in the Summit Snowfields and Summer Lion Head Trail. The very large avalanche on the Gulf on Slides Southern Snowfields stepped down to this layer and the possibility of this happening elsewhere remains. Note that this avalanche problem exists just to the north of where the Lion Head Trail leads to Split Rock on the summit cone and on the Summer Lion’s Head trail.

    How can you recognize it: 

    Identifying this avalanche problem is difficult without digging a deep pit, as there will be no visible clues. "Whumping" sounds as a warning are unlikely, and the slopes will likely appear unreactive.

    How can you manage it:

    Understanding where this problem exists in the terrain is the best way to minimize your exposure to the hazard. Plan your travel to avoid these isolated areas of a low-probability but high-consequence avalanche problem.

    (2/5/2025)

    Gulf of Slides Southern Snowfield

    Very large avalanche 2/4 that stepped down into buried persistent weak layers

    Photo: Charlotte MacDonald

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche hazard will increase throughout the day today as new snow and changing winds increase the distribution of new wind slabs. Traveling in avalanche terrain is becoming more complex as we have multiple older wind slabs lingering in terrain that have the potential to produce large and destructive avalanches. These older slabs may give limited warning signs, so assessing terrain and consequences will be some of your best tools. 

Adding to the problem list is today’s new snow that will bury these problems so we have to think deeper in the snowpack than just on the surface. This is compounded by persistent weak grains and the potential for avalanches to step down on this layer, as seen in the Gulf of Slides Southern Snowfields avalanche. It took a very large stress to trigger those stubborn pockets, but new snow in the coming days has the potential to add weight to those layers.

The snowpack is complex and it is ok to wait until this cycle runs its course. All of this snow has made skiing the Sherburne Ski Trail or Cog a great objective in and of itself. The Gulf of Slides Trail continues to improve as well, just remember that it does cross avalanche paths. 

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation on our website or in the new Avy phone app of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts.

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