Avalanche forecast

Aspiring

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory
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Avalanche danger

High Alpine · above 2,000 m
2 · Moderate
Alpine · 1,500 m–2,000 m
2 · Moderate
Sub Alpine · below 1,500 m
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 weeks ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Increasing winds, snowfall and stormy conditions are forecast over the next few days.

Avalanche problems will be on the rise.

Travel around avalanche terrain over the next few days is not advised

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • All elevations
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5

    Storm and wind slab will likely increase over the next few days as a northwest storm starts to move over the region and is expected to continue into Friday.

Recent Avalanche Activity

No recent reports

If you see any recent avalanche occurrences or have any relevant snowpack information or photos, you can share them via the Public Observations link on the NZAA home page.

Current Snowpack Conditions

Between the 23rd and 24th of July, 50- 60 cm of new snow fell above 1800m. Below 1800 m, a significant amount of rain has soaked the snowpack before temperatures started to cool early Friday morning and finished with about 20cm at around 1300m. Strong north-west winds may have redistributed much of the new snow in exposed areas during the storm and then again by south-west winds early Friday.

Before this, gale westerly winds mostly stripped west aspects back to hard ice or rock and loaded east aspects above 2000m with 1-2m of dense snow. At around 1800m the snow depth was around 50-70cm and was capped by a supportive rain crust before the last storm.

Although the pack appears consolidated, the Aspiring region is very large, and there is still very limited data. Caution should still be taken, particularly in steeper, more extreme terrain where unknown weaknesses may exist.

Mountain Weather

Mt Aspiring National Park ForecastForecast

Showers, some heavy from late morning with snow to 1400 metres.

Wind at 1000 metres Northerly 40 km/h but 60 km/h in exposed places.

Wind at 2000 metres Gale northwesterly 65 km/h.

Wind at 3000 metres Gale northwesterly 65 km/h.

Freezing level 1700 metres.

Issued: 7:47am Wed 29 Jul

Sliding Danger

Mostly soft conditions however be aware that below around 1700m on all aspects a slick rain crust may be hiding just under the surface.

Forecast Confidence

Moderate

  • We are confident the likelihood of avalanches will increase with the forecast weather.

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)

Regions covered