Presidential Range

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist where the snow's surface is frozen solid. Use caution in steep terrain, where falls are dangerous on a refrozen snowpack with many exposed rocks below.

After 3 days of warm, above freezing temperatures and occasional rain, temperatures dropped below freezing yesterday - refreezing a wet saturated snowpack. Remaining snow surfaces are likely to be either rotten and easily penetrable, frozen hard with a thick melt-freeze crust or some mix of the two.  

Today’s avalanche forecast does not include an avalanche problem. This was not an oversight but a conscious decision acknowledging the current state of the snowpack. Snow showers today may produce a little new snow, though are not expected to create a new concern based on probability of precipitation and very low amounts of water available.  If snow totals exceed the forecasted trace-2 inches today or tonight be on the lookout for thin wind slabs to pepper the terrain at middle and upper elevations.  

Weather Outlook: Unsettled weather and mild temperatures are forecast for the upcoming week, possibly extending into the weekend. At this time, precipitation events don’t look productive for rebuilding the snowpack. Looking far out, NWS meterologists are suggesting a possible shift in weather patterns early next week. Keep your fingers crossed!   

Gray Knob Snowpack: Total height of the snowpack has dropped from 71cm on 12/29/22 to 58cm today. 

Long Sliding Falls: Traveling in steep avalanche terrain today will require full mountaineering equipment including stiff boots, crampons, and an ice ax. Long sliding falls are dangerous, injuring or killing more people than avalanches in our forecast area.

New! December Weather History Chart. MWAC has published a monthly view of our weather and snowpack tracker. Forecasters use this to help visualize the running history of weather events, corresponding avalanche hazard ratings and avalanche cycles. We hope you find this helpful to keep your mental model of the snowpack accurate.

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts. 

The Lion Head Summer Trail is now closed for the season due to avalanche risk. The Lion Head Winter Route is open.