Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Highlights

You could trigger an avalanche on steep north-facing and east-facing slopes above 3000 feet. Look out for soft snow drifts that are deeper than the tops of your boots. Evaluate soft snow drifts carefully and dig down to the old, hard snow below to understand how easily new snow slides on the icy surface below.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    What and where is it: 4 - 6 inches of recent snowfall combined with moderate winds have formed small but sensitive wind slabs on top of a slick, icy snowpack buried below. The most likely place to find new wind slabs is on steep snow slopes above 3000 feet that face north and east. Late tonight, increasing northwest winds and new snowfall could make the avalanche problem more sensitive and more widely distributed.

    How can you recognize it: Look for smooth, rounded drifts deeper than your boot top that may be poorly bonded to the icy snowpack underneath. Thicker slabs may produce shooting cracks, which is an obvious sign of instability. Dig down and investigate how well the new, soft snow is sticking to the hard snow below before traveling across steep slopes.How can you manage it: Avoid traveling in terrain that has deeper drifts of new snow, where slabs are thicker and stiffer - these are areas that have the potential to produce a large avalanche. Understand that slab depth and sensitivity could be variable based on your elevation and aspect. Make consistent observations to support your decision making in avalanche terrain. Always evaluate the snow carefully before committing to traveling on or underneath a steep slope.

Avalanche Discussion

4 - 6 inches of snowfall yesterday combined with shifting winds have contributed to the wind slab avalanche problem that can be found today. Choosing to travel in avalanche terrain today will take careful snowpack evaluation and effective, practiced terrain management to travel safely. Small, subtle changes in the snowpack structure are important to identify today, to understand if you have encountered an avalanche problem. Dig with your hand, a pole, or a shovel to continuously assess the snowpack structure and look for a stiffer, more sensitive slab in contrast to loose new snow. Don’t assume that the snowpack above you or near you is the same as where you are standing - the snowpack sensitivity could be highly variable.

Yesterday, multiple skiers traveling in steep avalanche terrain triggered small but sensitive wind slab avalanches on top of the icy snow below, in line with yesterday’s avalanche forecast. (Observation 1, Observation 2, Observation 3) These avalanches were generally 5 - 10 inches thick, soft in character, and were able to propagate long distances. Without significant meteorological change since yesterday, similar avalanche conditions are expected to be found today in the daylight hours. 

Tonight, additional snow accumulation and increasing northwest winds have the potential to increase the avalanche hazard by the early morning hours and into the forecast period tomorrow. A shifting wind with a more northerly tilt will increase the likelihood of finding new wind slabs on steep, south-facing slopes.

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.

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