Presidential Range

Natural and human-triggered avalanches are unlikely to occur today. Watch out for areas of unstable snow on steep slopes, especially if precipitation falls more as snow than freezing or mixed precipitation. 

The forecasting team this morning struggled to fit the mixed precipitation expected today into a defined avalanche problem. Warm air aloft is already working to change snow to freezing rain on the higher summits, despite temperatures below freezing at all elevations below 6288 feet. Weather forecasts are in agreement that the forecast area will receive a trace to 2 inches of snow, sleet and freezing rain. 

Will this new precipitation create an avalanche problem? If sleet and freezing rain is the primary precip type, the result will be an uncomfortable nuisance with the potential to act as a sliding surface for future snow. If temperatures aloft trend cooler with snow falling as the primary precip type then we may see small thin wind slabs at middle elevations. There’s also the possibility of new snow mixed with frozen particles that may behave as a loose snow avalanche, though still very small. 

If snow starts piling up today, pay attention to how well the new snow is sticking to the bed surface and lookout for thin snow drifts with the potential to slide under your feet. 

The Lion Head Summer Trail is OPEN due to reduced avalanche risk, and is currently the least hazardous, direct route to the summit of Mt Washington from Pinkham Notch. 

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.