Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You are unlikely to trigger an avalanche on firm, wind-affected steep slopes today. Look out for wind-sheltered soft snow at middle elevations on east-facing slopes as they could be more sensitive to human triggers. These will be easy to identify, smooth, and bright white; traveling on the firm snow surface avoids this hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Be mindful of lingering wind slabs in east-facing terrain at middle elevations today. These will be found in wind-sheltered terrain features, like under rock buttresses, and will not be large in size. These areas have an increased risk for small, human triggered avalanches as the snow may be softer and more sensitive. Using hand shears to understand the sensitivity will help to evaluate this snow. 

    In addition to the remaining wind slabs, small amounts of new snow overnight and consistent strong west winds may have added thin wind slabs to eastern terrain. The same consideration and evaluation applies to these.

    Identifying today’s avalanche problem is easy as the snow will be white and appear smooth in contrast with the firm and textured snow surface. Traveling on the firm surface will reduce your likelihood of encountering this avalanche problem. 

Avalanche Discussion

Low avalanche danger does not mean no avalanche danger.

There is a chance of small avalanches in wind-sheltered terrain features today. The decreasing hazard is largely due to the isolated nature of the remaining avalanche problem. Evaluate snow surfaces carefully and be mindful of softer snow that may remain under terrain features like rock walls and buttresses. Take advantage of increasing visibility to assess terrain and consider the consequence of a fall in steep terrain with exposure from rocks and trees below. 

Conditions are now well past peak instability for natural avalanches from the larger wind slabs that developed from 1/16 overnight storm totals. Hours of strong and extreme west and northwest winds have rendered most of these wind slabs highly wind-affected, firm, and unreactive. Forecasters observed debris in the Tuckerman Ravine floor from natural avalanches and larger runout paths under Chute and Left Gully. They found steep terrain to be scoured and firm, but obscured visibility limited observations of start zones and higher terrain. 

Regions covered