Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You are unlikely to trigger an avalanche today. Limited new snow may have collected in east-facing slopes on top of a hard, icy, old snow surface at middle and upper elevations. These pockets of wind-drifted snow will be thin, bright white, and easily avoidable.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Look out for thin wind slabs created by westerly winds and new snow in east-facing terrain. These areas have an increased risk for small, human triggered avalanches. Identifying today’s avalanche problem is easy as the new snow will be white and appear smooth in contrast with the blueish and textured icy snow surface.

    Keep in mind that this new snow is falling onto a slick bed surface from rain in the previous storm. Because of this interface, the new snow is unlikely to bond effectively to this surface. Consider that a small avalanche could create a fall that carries increased consequences with exposed rocks and trees below. Hand shears will be an effective tool to understand how the new snow is bonding to the old snow surface as well as using your ski pole to understand the depth of the wind-drifted snow.

Avalanche Discussion

Today you are likely to find a mosaic of surfaces across the Presidential range. Forecasters found a firm and cohesive melt-freeze crust of various thickness in the terrain yesterday. Due to significant rain through the previous storm, this surface is expected to be found across all aspects and elevations. New snow last night and strong winds will have transported and redistributed the new snow creating today’s avalanche problem. Traveling on the old snow surface will allow you to avoid these thin wind slabs, crampons and ice axes will be necessary in steep terrain. While finding a pocket that is deep enough to bury you is unlikely, triggering a thin wind slab that has a potential to cause a fall is a possibility today.

The avalanche hazard will be increasing overnight as another low pressure system is bringing new snow and strong winds. If you find yourself out overnight, watch for wind drifted snow accumulating. This new snow and changing winds will have the opportunity to add to the wind slab problem increasing the size, sensitivity, and distribution. 

There is still some uncertainty whether all of this precipitation will fall as snow, or if some will fall as rain mid-storm Saturday at middle and lower elevations. 

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