Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
No rating
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche conditions are dangerous. You could trigger a large avalanche on north, east, and south-facing slopes above 3000 feet. Later today and tonight, naturally occurring avalanches are possible as increasing winds build deep drifts on top of a weak snowpack. Conservative decision making that minimizes your exposure to steep avalanche terrain is essential for safe travel.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    What and where is it: Multiple layers of recently formed wind slabs are widespread across the eastern half of the compass rose. The snowpack structure is poor, with multiple buried weak layers within the top 3 feet of the snowpack. Increasing wind and additional new snow will build new wind slabs on top of this poor foundation. As this occurs, large natural avalanches are possible and have the potential to ‘step down’, failing on deeper layers in the snowpack.How can you recognize it: Look for widespread smooth, deep drifts of new and recent snow. Thicker slabs may produce shooting cracks. Plumes of snow blowing at the ridgelines is a red flag that the wind slab avalanche problem is becoming more dangerous. Using a pole or a probe can help you understand the thickness of the slab and the size of a potential avalanche today.How can you manage it: Conservative decision making is essential for safe travel today. Avoid traveling in terrain that has deeper drifts of new snow, where slabs are thicker and stiffer - these are areas that have the potential to produce a large avalanche. Understand that slab depth and sensitivity could be variable based on your elevation and aspect. Make consistent observations to support your decision making in avalanche terrain.

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche conditions are increasingly dangerous and complex. Multiple wind slabs from three different weather events over the past several days are now stacked on top of each other and multiple weak layers of snow exist below the surface. An observation from yesterday shows the detail of this poor snowpack structure, with buried weak layers up to 3 feet deep in some areas. Today and tonight, expect avalanche hazard to become more dangerous as new snow and increasing northwest winds have the opportunity to build new slabs on top of it all. Natural or human-triggered avalanches in the new snow on the surface could be enough force to create failures on deeper layers of snow, creating a larger and more destructive avalanche. Today is not a day to out-smart or out-manage the avalanche problem. Keep terrain choices conservative and simple to minimize your exposure to large avalanche slopes.

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation on our website or in the new Avy phone app of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts.

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