Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The new snow from yesterday will be receiving direct sunshine today and becoming moist as early as this morning. On solar aspects, this new snow is sitting atop a firm crust. Watch for wet loose avalanches as the new snow becomes damp and weakens as the day progresses. If you witness new snow shedding off steep slopes and/or rocks and cliffs, it's time to head to a different aspect.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    The snowfall received yesterday will be getting a dose of spring sunshine today. You can expect this new snow to become moist as early as this morning on east-facing terrain. Any slope that has a slight tilt towards the sun will likely have a firm crust underneath this new snow. New snow gaining moisture from the sun, sitting atop a crust is a recipe for wet loose avalanches. These wet loose slides will be small. The places where the wet loose hazard will be the greatest are locations where the snow is deepest (NE, E, and SE aspects) and slopes that receive direct sunshine (E, SE, S, SW, and W aspects).

    Today is forecasted to be partly sunny with high temperatures in the low to upper 30s. Today's weather will certainly be enough to moisten new snow from yesterday and increase the potential for small, wet loose avalanches on solar aspects. Pay attention to the sun and how long it's directly impacting a particular slope. If you witness new snow shedding off rocks and cliffs, it's time to move to a different aspect. Use caution traveling under steep slopes, especially in the afternoon, as that's when the sun is highest and most influential.

    (4/1/2022)

    Large cornices, with older loose snow debris from last week

    Photo: PAC

Avalanche Discussion

Today's advisory is sponsored by Mile High Powersports just South of McCall on highway 55, Thanks for supporting the PAC and the Friends! 

Yesterday morning, we had a fast-moving storm roll through our advisory area. Some locations picked up 4-6" of new snow with about 0.5" SWE. The northern portion of the advisory area was favored by this storm. Winds were blowing moderately during this time out of the W/SW with gusts in the upper teens to low 20s. Winds remained this way through the afternoon.  After the storm cleared, the sun appeared and temperatures climbed to around 29 F at 7800' and 39 F at 6500'. At around sundown winds subsided and shifted out of the north. 

Shallow Wind Slabs: This little storm was a bit of an overproducer. With the short but intense snowfall and gusty W/SW winds, shallow wind slabs likely formed yesterday afternoon. Wind-deposited snow is most likely to be found at higher elevations (above 7000') and on terrain features that face easterly. The sunshine and warmer temperatures likely dampened the snow available for transport after the storm cleared later in the afternoon. 

A winter storm will be entering our advisory area early Monday morning and persisting through Tuesday. Current forecasts show between 0.75" and 1" of water, which could produce upwards of a foot of snow in some locations. The big story with this storm is going to be the wind. Strong to extreme winds are expected Monday afternoon. We can expect this storm to change our avalanche conditions and increase the hazard of new snow and wind-deposited snow. 

 

***PAC will issue our last advisory for the season on Saturday, April 9th, 2022