Presidential Range

Avalanche conditions will be generally stable today during the daylight hours. Late tonight, avalanche danger is expected to increase from new snow and wind. If you are traveling in steep terrain tonight or early tomorrow, you could trigger an avalanche in wind drifted snow on south-facing slopes above 3000 feet in elevation.

Expect to find generally safe and stable avalanche conditions in steep terrain during the day today. Mild temperatures, solar gain, and time have all promoted snowpack consolidation and layer bonding which greatly contribute to today’s LOW hazard rating. Yesterday, field observers found variable surface conditions based on aspect and elevation. A low cloud layer kept solar radiation from affecting the snow surface below approximately 4000 feet in elevation.  Above this elevation, minimal winds and ample sunshine had the opportunity to heat up solar aspects, creating a very soft snow surface, some very small wet-loose avalanche activity, and likely a hard, refrozen surface overnight. 

On shaded aspects, snow at middle and upper elevations stayed mostly cold and dry yesterday.  Some soft snow can be found around wind-protected terrain features, but these non-solar aspects also lack a clear avalanche problem. 

Tonight, 2 - 5 inches of new snow accumulating with an increasing north and northeast wind will have the ability to form sensitive wind slabs on south-facing and southwest-facing slopes. In many areas, the new snow will be falling on a hard and slick snow surface, which will limit the ability for new snow to effectively bond and stabilize. An increasing wind will give this new snow a strong-over-weak character and it will be easy to identify by watching for blowing snow, accumulation, and digging down to assess the slab depth and sensitivity on the old snow surface. This new avalanche problem will mostly be an issue tomorrow, but could affect any travelers who are out late tonight or on an early morning dawn patrol. 

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.