Presidential Range

Widespread refrozen snow surfaces necessitates an ice axe, crampons, and the skills to prevent a fall for safer travel in steep terrain. Avalanches are unlikely, the greatest hazard you are likely to encounter today will be a long sliding fall on uneven and refrozen snow surfaces.

Yesterday, snow surfaces warmed from ambient air temperature and solar gain. Hermit Lake snowplot recorded a high of 50 F and snow surfaces were observed to warm and wet which caused settlement in the new snow. Snow surfaces were variable with the March 6th rain crust visible as a grey surface which was in contrast with bright white snow surfaces around it. 

Forecasters this morning discussed if there is anywhere that you can find a lingering wind slab? While upper elevations warmed, it was only a high of 33 F recorded by the Mount Washington Observatory at the summit. Terrain on the Mount Washington Summit Cone was in the sun, solar gain likely helped promote settlement there. High in the start zones in Tuckerman Ravine, snow surfaces were textured from wind effect indicating a limited problem, if those surfaces remained cool the size would be small and this problem would be isolated to very sheltered terrain in north-east aspects. The concern here would be a small avalanche that caused a fall in steep terrain. 

The hazard that should be on the front of your mind today should be long sliding falls. Snow surfaces yesterday were uneven from gloppy wet snow and rollerballs, and this is how the surface has refrozen. This makes for challenging conditions, as keeping an edge on an uneven surface is difficult with the potential for high consequences if you were to lose an edge descending. Choose terrain that fits your skill set and the snowpack conditions for the day, or consider waiting for better conditions.

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.