Avalanche forecast

Bridgeport Avalanche Center

Bridgeport Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

Heavy snow and windy conditions will create dangerous avalanche conditions today. Natural avalanches are likely and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Wind-loaded and convex terrain could produce large avalanches. Some of the bigger faces in the BWRA could produce very large avalanches. Traveling in, around, and below avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Strong wind from the Southwest with a deep sub-tropical moisture tap will create dangerous wind slab avalanche conditions today.  Widespread natural activity is likely and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Terrain features will intensify this problem. Start zones can load up and release naturally as the wind-driven snow accumulates at an exponential rate compared to snow that falls straight down from the sky. 

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Rapid snowfall rates will bring instabilities within the new storm snow.  Often when we have such high rates of snow, the storm snow does not have a chance to bond to itself. Fluctuations in temperature and a change in the type of snow that falls can create storm snow instability. Graupel, which looks like ball bearings, can be identified visually in the new storm snow. when it is present.  The warming we had earlier in the week created a crust for this new snow to slide on and solar aspects will be the most suspect to this sliding layer. 

Avalanche Discussion

A snowy, windy, and wet day is forecasted today. When we have several feet of snow forecasted in such a short amount of time, the danger rating spikes. Rapid loading of the snowpack does not give the snow much time to heal and instabilities within the storm snow can cause frequent natural avalanches in many areas. With wind speeds up to 90+mph on the Sierra crest with 30-40mph in the mid-slope range, we have the recipe for widespread wind slab formation.  Cross-loading of slopes is common in these scenarios. The road up to Leavitt Lake crosses under one of these cross-loaded slide paths. There is a good chance that this face and other large slide paths will release naturally during this storm event.  Our team was impacted this week by road closures and an avalanche fatality outside of our forecast area, near Mt Charleston near Las Vegas. A full report of that accident is forthcoming. 

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