Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Avalanche danger will increase throughout the day. As new snow accumulates and is moved by the wind, you could find and trigger an avalanche large enough to bury you. Above 3000 feet, watch out for deeper drifts of new snow in steep terrain, snow blowing at the ridgelines, and cracks in the new snow under your feet as a sign that avalanche conditions are becoming more dangerous.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    What and where is it:Strong winds with up to 7 inches of new snow will create increasingly large and sensitive wind slabs on steep snow slopes. By tonight, slabs could be multiple feet thick. The most likely place to find a large wind slab is on north-facing and east-facing slopes that are sheltered from the wind, but understand that wind slabs could form on several aspects today. 

    How can you recognize it: Look for drifts of new snow that are deeper than the tops of your boots. Plumes of snow blowing at the ridgelines, cracks in the snow under your feet, and intense rates of snow accumulation are all signs of increasing avalanche danger. Use your hand, a pole, or a shovel to dig down to the icy old snow surface to assess the thickness and sensitivity of new wind slabs. How can you manage it:Make frequent snowpack observations and be cautious on steep slopes with deeper drifts. Consider your timing of traveling in steep terrain since danger will increase during the day. Traveling on the widespread hard, old snow surface can help to avoid the risk of triggering a wind slab. Remember that snow lower in the terrain may not be representative of the snow above you, even in the same gully or terrain feature.

Avalanche Discussion

Expect avalanche conditions to be dynamic today. 

In the morning, expect to find widespread hard, icy, snow surfaces from the recent refreeze. Traveling on this stable surface can help mitigate avalanche hazards, but it requires using crampons, ice axes, and a helmet to reduce the risk of a dangerous fall in steep terrain. 

Later in the day, new snow and wind will have the opportunity to build increasingly dangerous wind slabs. It is unclear exactly how large and dangerous these wind slabs will become. If you choose to travel in avalanche terrain today, make continuous snowpack evaluations to help you understand the thickness and sensitivity of new wind slabs because this may be changing by the hour. In many areas, slabs may struggle to bond to the icy, old snow surface, which could increase your potential of triggering one. 

Carrying avalanche rescue gear, traveling with a partner, and making informed and strategic terrain choices can help you mitigate the risk of triggering and being caught in an avalanche. 

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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