Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Avalanche conditions are dangerous. New snow and rain, warming temperatures, and strong winds make it likely to encounter avalanches in steep terrain today at all elevations. To reduce your exposure to avalanches today, avoid traveling in steep, snow-covered avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Throughout the day, expect wind slab formation on west, northwest, and north aspects. When the wind shifts to the west in the afternoon, expect wind slabs to increase in distribution to include easterly aspects. The size of these avalanches will be dictated by the amount of new snow. If there is heavy snowfall with increased accumulation, expect these avalanches to be even larger and more destructive.

    As snow accumulates, temperatures rise, and precipitation type changes, expect wind slabs to have a distinct strong-over-weak character that is sensitive to the weight of a person.  New wind slabs will also have the potential to spontaneously avalanche as stability decreases throughout the day with snow accumulating on a slick bed surface. Blowing snow, stiff snow drifts, cracking, and collapsing in the snowpack are all signs of a dangerous wind slab problem today.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    At lower and middle elevations where warming temperatures will allow for rain and mixed precipitation on top of new snow, expect the likelihood of wet slab avalanches to increase on all aspects. At lower elevations, this avalanche problem will be more limited in size, but numerous small natural avalanches are possible. At middle elevations, dry slabs will have the opportunity to grow thicker before becoming wetted by rain and mixed precipitation. Expect wet slabs at these middle elevations to have increased destructive potential.

    Wet slab avalanches are notoriously difficult to predict. Watch out for precipitation changing from snow to rain where previously dry snow is becoming heavy and saturated with water.  This is a sign that dangerous wet slab avalanches could occur.

Avalanche Discussion

Today will be a challenging day to safely travel in and around avalanche terrain. Two distinct avalanche problems which are expected to overlap at middle elevations in combination with a limited snowpack and poor visibility will make route finding and snowpack assessment difficult for even the most experienced backcountry travelers. 

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation 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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