Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Warm afternoon temperatures and Sunshine will increase wet-loose avalanche danger throughout the day on solar aspects steeper than 30 degrees.  Move to lower-angled, cooler aspects out of direct sunshine if you are seeing recent avalanches, rollerballs, or pinwheels on the surface. Be cautious of overhead hazards and stay clear of cornice edges that may fail!

Triggering a wind slab avalanche is getting harder in wind-loaded terrain below ridgelines and cornices, yet remains possible. Winds calmed mid-storm and have hidden visual indicators...Avoid and or use cautious travel protocols in wind-loaded terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Temperatures are forecasted to climb above freezing as the Sun gets to go full force on some snow surfaces that were spared Friday as mostly cloudy skies shielded some locations.

    North of McCall we saw activity increase through the afternoon on Western and Southern aspects with small point releases and rollerballs forming in the upper 2-3 inches of the snow surface.

    As the day progresses Eastern aspects will see the first danger, then SE, S, SW, and finally West through the evening. You can avoid danger by staying off of slopes that are seeing direct sun and are showing signs of stress like rollerballs and point releases on the surface.

    Rollerballs on WSW aspect.This was the beginning of the warming of the snow surface. We saw widespread activity bigger than this as we rode back in the late afternoon on West aspects: N-WL-D1.

    Photo: George Halcom

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds have trended down and natural avalanche evidence as well as loading indicators have almost vanished under light winds and light snowfall toward the end of the storm on Thursday.  Visible pillows in northern terrain exist below peaks, ridges, and cornices.

    Use cautious travel like 1 at a time if not avoidance in wind-loaded terrain at upper elevations, especially in confined or exposed terrain steeper than 35 degrees as even releasing a small slab could knock you around.

    (3/29/2024)

    Northeast aspect of South Bruin. 

Avalanche Discussion

Warming temps and overnight freezing will and have likely calmed down dry loose avalanche potential, but be mindful of how much snow you may push with you, especially in exposed shady terrain where small moving snow can push you where you would rather avoid.

The heat from the warming trend and the Sun will also allow layers to weaken and cornices may fail naturally and easily if you get close to the edges of them. Give some extra room for error near the edges of cornices and on steep slopes as the day heats up, move to the North aspects where the snow is better. Stability tests in the upper snowpack is showing failures that lack the potential for propagating or producing a large avalanche.

Wet slab avalanches are known to be almost impossible to predict so use extra caution on steep solar, rocky aspects where weaker layers in the snowpack could get wet and fail.

Thursday, April 4th will be the last advisory for the season. On Friday, April 5th don't miss our end of season party at Toll Station Pizza at 5:30 pm. There will be auctions, prizes, education, and socialization with new friends!

Today's advisory is sponsored by Brundage Mountain Resort.