Summary
Travel & Terrain Advice
Avoid cornice exposure above and below. Temperatures will rise with elevation, and conditions will change rapidly with alpine and treeline warming. Trees, rocks and steep terrain above will begin to shed snow and could affect lower elevations.
Avalanche Summary
Avalanche control at Mount Washington on Wednesday produced numerous size 1-1.5 storm slabs on all aspects below 1600 m. These avalanches ranged in depth from 15-70 cm and ran on buried surface hoar. Wind affected areas were more stubborn, requiring a moderate load and sheltered terrain was easily triggered with a light load.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar development in below treeline areas, wind and sun affected surfaces in exposed areas. Well settled snow pack.
Snowpack Details
Surface: Surface hoar in fog bands, wind affected storm snow and moist solar aspect surfaces elsewhere. Upper: Well settled. Mid: Well settled. Lower: Well settled and dense.
Past Weather
Inversions above 1000 m. Light winds and no precipitation.
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY: Trace precipitation with freezing levels to 2500 m. Moderate W wind. SATURDAY: No precipitation with freezing levels to 2900 m. Moderate SW wind. SUNDAY: No precipitation with freezing levels to 2600 m. Moderate variable wind.
Problems
Loose Wet
Warm temperatures will almost certainly produce loose wet avalanches on all aspects and elevations to size 1-1.5
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices may possibly fail with warm temperatures and solar input. NW-NE aspect treeline and alpine to size 2.
Aspects: North, North East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 27th, 2019 5:00PM
