Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Wet loose avalanches in the upper 3-8'' are possible to be triggered on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially if the Sun is actively heating the slope. Use caution on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially on Solar aspects in the afternoon.

If you are seeing rollerballs or other recent avalanches, and are sinking into the snow above your boot tops, find another aspect that is cooler and that is not getting direct sun to travel on.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    The snowpack is wet below the surface and will need some consecutive nights of cold temps to re-freeze layers that have been saturated. The Snotel site at Secesh Summit at 6500 feet only dropped down to 33 degrees F early Thursday morning.

    With a lack of a good overnight freeze and cloud cover the chances are still lingering, yet low of triggering a wet loose avalanche. If the Sun prevails, we will see a little more wet loose avalanche activity mostly in the D-1 relatively harmless range, but it still may be possible near terrain traps like gullies or cliffs and rocks, in and around large sustained slopes to induce an avalanche big enough to bury or injure you (D-2). Stay clear of overhead avalanche hazards as the day heats up and causes wet loose avalanches on solar aspects.

     

    (3/20/2024) Photo: George Halcom

    small relatively harmless D-1 wet loose avalanches in the snow surface that was getting overheated on Wednesday North of Brundage.

Avalanche Discussion

Weak layers of facets and graupel in the upper 2 feet of the snowpack are passing snowpack tests in propagation yet the bonds are weak overall. This melt-freeze pattern should help stability in the long run, but re-freezing may take a few days. Use good, safe travel protocols in and around terrain steeper than 35 degrees as Low danger still has a threat of avalanches. Only expose one rider or slider to steep slopes and watch them from a good safe spot.

Today's advisory is sponsored by Franklin Building Supply on Highway 95 South of McCall.