Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

24 hours of Sustained temps above freezing and daytime Warming along with full Sun will add to the likelihood of natural and human triggered wet loose avalanches 1-2 feet deep and large Cornice failures that could cause larger avalanches. 

Avoid traveling near cornices, in or under avalanche terrain, or slopes steeper than 30 degrees, especially in the afternoon when danger will rise!

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Our smooth snow surfaces have seen some heat and avalanche debris can be found in steep terrain where loose snow has released under warm temps and brief Sun. Monday was the beginning of a full spring beatdown of our snowpack, and today is the big day where solar aspects are going to get cooked and release wet loose avalanches naturally. As the day progresses this problem will grow in destructive size. You could get enough snow to run with you easily and push you into bad places. Avoid slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially those that are long and sustained, or that are near consequences like cliffs, gullies and other terrain traps.

    (3/24/2025)

    Wet loose-Public Observation from Warm Lake zone on Monday 3/24/25

    Photo: Payette Avalanche Center

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Certain
    Size
    1–3

    With so much snow and wind over the last storm cycle, we have seen big lips on monstrous cornices. These giants were failing Monday and were releasing and causing slabs to fail on North and East aspects. Today will be a good day to see some natural failures of cornices in the backcountry, but don't get too close to the edge as these beasts may break further back than you may expect.

    Avoid traveling on or near terrain with overhanging cornices that are stressed by the lack of overnight freeze, warm Sun, and temps! 

     

    (3/24/2025)

    Natural Cornice Fall on Monday on this North aspect caused a slab avalanche to fail, likely from wind overloading a graupel layer a couple feet below prior to the cornice falling.

    Photo: George Halcom

Avalanche Discussion

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