Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Human triggered avalanches are still possible across our advisory area today in wind affected terrain.   Accumulation totals from this week's storm varied quite a bit in different parts of the advisory area and even from slope to slope but slick crusts are widespread beneath the new snow and will provide an easy sliding surface if you do trigger a cohesive slab.  Watch for deeper pockets of wind-driven snow(wind slabs) on leeward ridges and terrain features. Dry loose avalanches (sluffs) should be anticipated on all steep terrain today.  Some areas may still be harboring layers of faceted snow that developed during the clear nights of our extended high pressure.  Pay attention to visual clues of wind-affected snow such as drifts, pillows, and texture changes in the snow surface, and don't ignore red flag signs like cracking of the snow surface as you travel.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    With solar and melt/freeze crusts being VERY widespread after last week's warm temps, the new snow is not bonding to these slick crusts and will want to run or sluff with you on any steep slope.   Even dry snow sluffs can surprise you, push you off your line, or pile up deep in terrain traps.  As slopes heat up in the sun today you may start to see small dry or wet loose avalanches starting as point releases and running down steeper sun-affected slopes.

    NNE hasty pit near 8000'

    Melt/Freeze crust layer(at card) from the very warm weather we experienced last weekend.  Crusts are widespread on all aspects below the new snow.  Weak, faceted snow is still present below the crust(saw) in many places.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    This week's snow came in with a fair amount of wind.  Wind slabs are going to be fairly widespread in wind-exposed terrain today,  these slabs may be fairly dense or on the soft side.  Based on the slick crust below them though, they may be easy to trigger, propagate easily across the curst, pick up or entrain more snow below them and run fairly fast if you do trigger them. Some of these wind slabs may be resting on preserved layers of near-surface facets or surface hoar.  You are likely to find wind slabs on several aspects based on the variability of the wind over the last few days.  

Avalanche Discussion

Today's advisory is sponsored by CM Backcountry Rentals and Adventures, a huge thanks for supporting the Friends and PAC!

5 weeks of high pressure can do a lot of damage to the snowpack.  We have been pretty lucky that we were able to maintain some protected pockets of soft snow and had a few little shots of fresh snow when conditions got pretty bad. We have also been lucky that conditions allowed users to get into steep and committing terrain with very low avalanche hazard through most of the winter so far.  Things are starting to change though:

 -Surface Hoar and Near Surface Facets were formed throughout the high pressure at the snow surface and have persisted in some shady, wind-protected areas.   These layers are now buried in the upper portion of the snowpack.

-Last week saw some of the warmest temperatures of the winter and left us with widespread crusts.  The new snow we got earlier this week isn't sticking to these crusts.   In most places, we are talking about a pretty shallow and unconsolidated slab of new snow above the crusts but in some spots, you will find deep drifts or pillows of denser, cohesive wind deposited snow. 

-We have another significant storm system lined up later this weekend and the possibility of more next week.  Adding more snow and another round of gusty winds is going to increase the size of the slab growing above our problem layers.  Avalanche activity will increase with these storms as will the likelihood of human-triggered avalanches.  It is going to be important to adjust your perception of the snowpack and your travel practices to these changing conditions.