Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Gusty winds out of the South/Southwest have likely formed slabs 2-10 + inches thick in leeward terrain. Use caution near steep wind loaded terrain...watch for red flags like cracking, and for clues on the surface as to which way the snow has drifted or loaded.

 If you are seeing red flags, turn around and find another slope that has a different aspect and or lower angle that has not been loaded by the wind.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Monday, we saw gusty Southwest winds become stronger through the late afternoon Gusting into the 40mph range. Not a lot of snow came down through the day, maybe only an inch or two at upper elevations with another 1-2 inches overnight. Another 3 inches of snow through the day with moderate SW wind on Tuesday will bump up the slab potential thickness to around 10-12 inches thick at upper elevations.

    Local terrain can influence the direction of loading and put sensitive slabs on aspects you may not be expecting. Always double check the loading direction by looking for clues on the surface as to which direction loading has truly taken place. Etching on the surface, and rime on trees and snags, dunes or drifts are all indicators of loading patterns.

Avalanche Discussion

Wind slab avalanche problems should heal and become less of a factor by Thursday as the Sun starts to become a major player with temps climbing above freezing more so each day. 

Continue good travel protocols like traveling one at a time on all steep slopes, especially those protected from the Sun and wind where weak layers may have stayed preserved and were possibly buried around 2/21 which would now sit under 1-1/2+ feet of snow . We have not gotten propagating results or seen any persistent weak layers in the snowpack this week, yet there could be outliers. Check out the observation from Payette Powder Guides from Lick Creek. They were seeing remote triggers on Storm slabs on Sunday 2/23.

Don't miss out on a great chance for an AIARE Moto leve1 Avalanche Course! The avalanche course is this coming weekend, Fri 2/28-Sun 2/30 at Brundage Mtn Resort taught by famous talented snowmobilers Arron and Drew Case of Stable Mountain. 10% of the registration will be donated to FPAC.

Today's advisory is sponsored by Double R trailers in Nampa, Idaho. Thank You for Supporting the PAC with our new covered snowmobile trailer!