Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist on steep south, east, and north facing aspects. Areas of wind drifted snow, large enough to bury people and damage trees, may be easily triggered or avalanche naturally. Use conservative route choices if traveling in or under steep terrain today.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Dangerous wind slab avalanches that are sensitive to human triggers are likely on south, east and north aspects above 3000 feet in elevation. It is also possible that areas may avalanche naturally. Wind will continue to transport new snow and add to the avalanche problem throughout the day. With several days of snow and ideal loading speeds, some of these wind slabs could be large enough to bury multiple people, damage trees and reach further down in runout zones. Pay attention to the terrain above you today. Ravine level winds may not be representative of the increased hazard today and large wind slabs forming in start zones may not be seen because of reduced visibility. Conservative decision making around avalanche terrain will be essential. Evaluate the snowpack carefully and watch for shooting cracks under your feet to indicate the hazard. Use caution when traveling in or under steep terrain today and consider avoiding steep snow-loaded slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

Snow will taper off this morning, but winds will remain at ideal speeds for loading throughout the day. Over the past 4 days, the summit of Mount Washington has recorded 17.5 inches of snow. Wind slabs that have formed over the past few days will continue to increase in size today. Although the sensitivity of these wind slabs will vary throughout terrain, their potential size keeps the avalanche hazard rating at CONSIDERABLE today. 

These conditions are not standard for the forecast area, and caution is advised if traveling in terrain today. The tendency after a snow event in the Presidential Range, is for winds to quickly increase to strong/extreme speeds. This assists in making wind slabs less reactive and can even have bridging characteristics. However, we have not seen that pattern over the past few days. Winds have stayed in the moderate range, which effectively loads sensitive wind slabs in terrain. We have also gotten new snow daily, which continues to add size to existing wind slabs. This makes the avalanche problem dangerous and concerning today. Observations from yesterday further support these conditions (Obs 1, Obs 2 and Obs 3). 

It’s important to remember that conditions low down in avalanche terrain can give a false sense of stability when compared to conditions at higher elevations and closer to the ridgelines, where snow transport and wind slab development can be much more pronounced. Consider what kind of terrain is above you, how slab formation might be different from your immediate location, and what the consequence would be in the case of a large avalanche.

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