Avalanche forecast

Taranaki

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory
View on map

Avalanche danger

High Alpine · above 1,800 m
2 · Moderate
Alpine · 1,200 m–1,800 m
2 · Moderate
Sub Alpine · below 1,200 m
No rating
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last month. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Wind-transported snow from the Southwest will continue to build areas of wind slab on northeast aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • All elevations
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Cool temperatures and easing wind strength see the wind slab remain on North East aspects. It is still possible that new snow instabilities may exist within the building wind slab. Think about slopes directly lee to the wind and at higher elevations. Considerations are still need for safe travel, the slopes you are planning your routes on, and the slopes that exist above you. With altitude comes more snow and wind, increasing the size of deposits. Conditions will still be varied due to the previously firm conditons across the mountian, use caution if venturing heading into the alpine.

Recent Avalanche Activity

No human-triggered or naturally triggered avalanches have been reported or observed over the past 24 hours.

Current Snowpack Conditions

5 to 20cm of new snow over the last 24 hours above 1100m from the south-west. Wind slab deposits have formed on leeward aspects, with possible new-snow instabilities on sheltered slopes at higher elevations above 1800m. Bond to the old snow surface should be strong with the weather coming in warmer from the west-northwest. Areas of the buried firm old snow surface will still exist, providing a hard sliding surface.

Mountain Weather

Clear skies and cool South West winds are expected for the start of the working week. The freezing level is hovering around 1200m.

Sliding Danger

The buried old snow surface will still pose a risk for large slides mainly around exposed slopes to the South.

Forecast Confidence

Low

  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.
  • We are uncertain due to the variability of wind effect on the snowpack.

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)

Regions covered