Wind Slabs
- All elevations
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1.5
Small amounts of new snow will fall on Sunday and be redistributed by strong to severe gale winds from the west. This is likely to be isolated to ridge crests and upper start zones.
Avalanche forecast
View on mapNelson Lakes
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory
Avalanche danger
- High Alpine · above 1,800 m
- 2 · Moderate
- Alpine · 1,200 m–1,800 m
- 1 · Low
- Sub Alpine · below 1,200 m
- No rating
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Highlights
Wind slab danger will still exist in the high alpine.
Avalanche problems
Recent Avalanche Activity
No observations have been possible during this storm. Please provide any snowpack or avalanche observations using the link below.
Mountain Weather
Snow showers with occasional heavier flurries will ease on Sunday afternoon. Between 5 and 10cm of snow is forecast for Travers Saddle. Westerly gales continue. Freezing level is lowering from 1600m to 1300m.
Sliding Danger
An ice axe and crampons need to be carried for mountain travel, as the snow has refrozen and will be hard at mid elevations and where the snow has been scored by wind at upper elevations.
Forecast Confidence
Moderate
- We are uncertain about forecast snowfall amounts.
- We are uncertain about how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.
Current Snowpack Conditions
Significant snow loss has occurred below 1800. Cover above 1800m is reasonably consistent. Rain has saturated the snowpack at all elevations on Wednesday and up to 1900m on Thursday and Friday. Snow fell during Thursday evening and Friday in the high alpine (probably above 1900m), accompanied by gale-force northwest winds. With a lower freezing level on Saturday, it is expected that the snowpack will have increased in strength. There is still the possibility of small wind slabs above 2000m currently.
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)