Avalanche Forecast

Recent sustained strong winds will have created large fragile cornices on ridge tops, give them a wide berth and use caution when travelling above them. Be aware of wind loaded areas and watch for signs of instability including cracking, whumpfing and evidence of recent avalanches. Conditions will vary greatly with changes in elevation.

Explosive testing Wednesday at Mount Washington produced several small (size 1-1.5) storm slab avalanches in lee terrain at treeline (NW through NE aspect). These avalanches were approximately 15-25 cm deep and failing only in the recent wind loaded snow. A few natural storm slab avalanches in the size 1 to 1.5 range were observed in the same previously controlled terrain during the height of the precipitation and warming of the significant storm event that took place on Thursday. These avalanches were also triggered in the new snow only with no signs of failure from deeper layers. Many small loose wet avalanches were also observed on Thursday on all aspects below treeline.

Up to 80 cm of new storm snow fell during Thursday’s storm in alpine areas with much of that precipitation coming in the form of rain below 1500 m. Expect deep wind loaded areas above 1500 m and rain soaked upper snow below. Snow depths at treeline are in the 250 cm range with wind loaded areas in higher elevations well over 3 m.

Surface: Either 60-80 cm of wind affected new snow or rain soaked depending on elevation. Upper: Loose dry snow above 1400 m and 20-30 cm of moist snow below 1400 m. Mid: Multiple layers of rounding storm snow with varying densities. Lower: Well settled.

Sounding like a broken record. Another powerful and potent storm system with heavy precipitation, strong to extreme southerly winds and wildly fluctuating freezing levels have deposited more snow to the Island peaks. Lower elevations experienced significant rain events.

FRIDAY: 10-15 cm of accumulation with freezing levels around 650 m. Winds strong from the west veering to SE. SATURDAY: 20-45 cm of accumulation with freezing levels around 750 m with the lower amounts for the north. Winds strong to extreme from the SE. SUNDAY: 15-25 cm of accumulation with freezing levels around 1000 m. Winds strong from the SE veering to SW.