Wind Slabs
- All elevations
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 2
Look out for small pockets of wind slab. This is most likely near ridgetop, and around terrain features on aspects facing east through to south.
Avalanche forecast
View on mapFiordland
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory
Avalanche danger
- High Alpine · above 1,800 m
- 2 · Moderate
- Alpine · 1,200 m–1,800 m
- 1 · Low
- Sub Alpine · below 1,200 m
- 1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 weeks ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.
Highlights
The snowpack will be becoming more stable, but small pockets of wind slab may still be found.
Please submit any observations you make. They are most appreciated.
Avalanche problems
Loose Dry
- All elevations
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1
A chance of loose dry avalanching (sluffing) out of steep terrain might still be possible at the upper elevations. Take note of what is happening above you
Forecast Confidence
Moderate
- We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.
- We are uncertain due to a highly variable snowpack.
Recent Avalanche Activity
Please see the public observations for some photos from the Darran's on Sunday. Cold dry snow, very wind affected. Some cliff band activity observed. Isolated cracking seen when skinning on wind loaded areas in Homer area.
Observations from Milford Track area, Darran's and Routeburn on 20 July -Slick frozen conditions below 17/1800m. Only the highest peaks (North Peak, Talbot, Mt Christina) had some slopes with enough snow to cover terrain features and look wind loaded.
Current Snowpack Conditions
Currently the snowpack is starting to become more stable, as temperatures rise after 3 days of very cold temps. An estimated 20- 30cm fell on Sat 25th July, tapering to 10cm down to 600m. This was wind affected from the SW and S winds.
Prior to July 24th the snowpack was very shallow, with most slopes below 1700m being below threshold (not enough snow to avalanche). Only slopes at the highest elevations had a layered pack.
Report from the Darran's on Sunday26th . Cold dry snow, wind scoured with areas of loading. Cracking (about 1 meter in size) in some wind loaded pockets while skinning up in Homer area. Estimate about 20 - 30cm of snow from moderate SW above 1500m from Friday 24th.
From 21 July - Below around 1800m the thin snowpack had a mixture of rain and snow over the week of 13th to 18th July, culminating in rain up to about 1750m on Saturday the 18th. This snowpack is generally thin, with much of it still below avalanche threshold, and rainsoaked and refrozen.
Above about 1800m there has been about 80 or 90 cm fall in northern Fiordland and about 60cm in the south, from a series of westerly fronts over the week of 13th to 18th July. There were warm temperatures on Saturday 18th and this snowpack is now thought to be stable, with possible remaining wind slab at the high elevation areas lee to the west but should be treated cautiously as there have been not observers in the field.
Mountain Weather
There is a light skiff of a few centimeters forecast in the south of Fiordland over Tuesday morning
Sliding Danger
Surface conditions are variable, with wind scouring on windward slopes. Take an axe and crampons if you're exploring.
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)