Presidential Range

Avalanches from wind drifted snow will grow more concerning this evening and into tomorrow as a potent storm approaches the Presidential Range. Today, human triggered avalanches are possible on eastern aspects of the middle and upper elevations, especially in wind sheltered locations. While moving about the terrain today, consider wearing crampons and assess deeper pockets of wind transported snow.  

New snow and westerly winds have created pockets of unstable snow in the middle and upper elevations. Wind-blown snow has been piling onto east-facing slopes that could produce, human triggered, wind slab avalanches in steep terrain. Expect some of these slabs to be up to a foot thick in some isolated areas which are sheltered from the wind. Wind-sculpted and hollow-sounding, these slabs may act brittle and break above you, entraining enough snow to bury or kill a person.

As we get new snow this evening into tomorrow expect wind blown slabs to increase in depth, sensitivity, and distribution. Heavy snow, and the potential for over a foot of accumulation, will make avalanche conditions more dangerous. Light winds coming from the south for a period, may load northern aspects and leave behind snow available for transport in the alpine fetch.