Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You could trigger a small avalanche on steep north, east, and south-facing slopes above 3000 feet in elevation. Look out for snow blowing at ridgelines, pillowy, smooth drifts deeper than your boot tops, and shooting cracks as signs of potentially unstable snow. Travel on firm, textured old snow surfaces to reduce your chances of triggering an avalanche today.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    What and where is it: 1.7 inches of snow combined with shifting southwest, west, and northwest winds could form small wind slabs in north, east, and south-facing terrain above 3000 feet in elevation. 

    How can you recognize it: Blowing snow at ridgelines will be a sign that wind slabs could be actively forming. Look for smooth, pillowy drifts as areas to assess. Use pole or boot penetration to understand the size of new slabs and dig down to the firm old snow surface to assess the sensitivity with formal and informal column tests.

    How can you manage it: Remember that wind slabs are most reactive while they are forming. Take time to assess new, softer snow drifts before committing to consequential terrain. Traveling on the old, firm, and textured snow surface will limit your likelihood of triggering an avalanche today.

Avalanche Discussion

New snow may create new avalanche problems to keep in mind today. You will be most likely to encounter new slabs in north, east, and south-facing terrain. The shifting winds are likely to build small slabs in more places than a large, connected slab in a few places. This decreases the size of the problem, but you could find unstable snow in more places, so take the time to assess new snow drifts. 

It is possible that the combination of changing extreme winds, low-density snow (5.8% at the summit), and a firm old snow surface could limit slab size and formation. There has not been time to assess new slabs as they have only just formed. Because of that, build time into moving through terrain to assess new snow drifts. 

Low Elevation: Temperatures at low elevation are forecast to rise to the mid to high 30s F. Look out for small wet loose point releases in the new snow. The size is expected to be small, but assess the consequences if it could cause a fall over ice bugles, cliffs, or into exposed rocks or trees. Signs will be roller balls and wetting snow surfaces where it is easy to make a snowball. This is most likely to happen on steep terrain underneath rocks or underneath your own feet.

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.

Regions covered