Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist today. As rain saturates the snowpack, areas of snow large enough to bury a person may be easily triggered or avalanche naturally. Watch out for slopes on all aspects that hold pockets of old snow. Avoid traveling under these slopes and use conservative terrain choices to help reduce your exposure. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Dangerous wet slab avalanches that are sensitive to human triggers and may trigger naturally are likely at all aspects and elevations today. These wet slabs will develop as rain saturates old compacted snow and pools on ice crusts within the snowpack. This snowpack structure exists throughout the forecast area and some wet slabs could be large enough to bury a person. Rain on snow events are challenging to predict and give little to no warning signs of instabilities. If you are experiencing heavy rainfall, seeing recent avalanche activity, or getting deeper boot penetration into wet snow, you have found the avalanche problem. Use conservative terrain choices and avoid traveling under or on steep slopes that are holding snow.

Avalanche Discussion

Up to 1 inch of rain and continued warm temperatures today will make dangerous avalanche conditions throughout the forecast area. Observations from yesterday and earlier this week noted a generally stable snowpack with 1 finger hard snow sitting on top of ice crusts at various depths. This older compacted snow on top of ice is our concern today. With elevations below 5500 feet already above freezing at the time of this forecast writing, rain water will likely saturate deeper into the old snow weakening these larger slabs and creating the avalanche hazard. Areas between 3000-5000 feet that are holding more snow are greater areas of concern; however any area of old consolidated snow could avalanche once water percolates down through the snowpack.

In Crawford Notch, the avalanche problem will be more isolated with slabs smaller due to the limited snow remaining. Wet loose may be a more likely avalanche problem in this area, however, the icy bed surface still exists and if pockets of old consolidated snow are found, they are likely to be a wet slab problem.  

At upper elevations, the avalanche problem is unlikely to exist where the wind has scoured down to the icy bed surface. Traveling on these areas will help reduce your exposure to the avalanche problem today. 

Along with the wet slab avalanche problem, ice fall from overhead hazards and undermined snow will also be a concern. Limited visibility from rain and fog will make it challenging to identify these hazards. Use conservative terrain choices, cautious route finding and avoid traveling under steep slopes if you decide to head out today. 

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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