Bollettino valanghe

Northern New Mexico

Taos Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Tue
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 6 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

It remains possible to trigger a persistent slab avalanche on steep NW through E facing terrain near and above treeline.  It's on these slopes that you may find stiff hard slabs with weak facets below.  Before committing to a slope, take the time to dig down into the snow to assess if the snowpack harbors this poor snowpack structure. Below treeline, the snowpack is shallower and we lack a cohesive slab needed for a slab avalanche.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–2

    An overall poor snowpack structure exists on many Northwest through East slopes near and above treeline.  It's on these slopes that you're most likely to find hard slabs resting over very weak faceted snow. Just before Christmas, a strong wind event formed a thick hard slab that has faceted snow both above and below it. In most cases, these layers live within the top 40-50cms of our snowpack.  Prolonged periods of high pressure continue to develop uniform weak layers of facets and depth hoar throughout our terrain. 

    Triggering an avalanche on one of these weak layers has become increasingly stubborn and difficult as we become further removed from our last significant loading event (Dec 29). You are most likely to trigger an avalanche on these slopes over areas where the slab is thinnest such as around rock outcroppings and on the margins of the slab. You can mitigate this hazard by avoiding slopes greater than 35 degrees.  

    A strong over weak structure can still be easily identified in snow pit walls. The recipe for producing an avalanche is still present.

Avalanche Discussion

It's looking like the January drought for us here in northern NM is going to continue, with high pressure taking shape for the next week.  Saturday's storm of 1 to 2 inches of snow and calm winds was not enough to increase avalanche danger even on our incredibly fragile weak facet layers.  

As we push further away from the last significant loading event from Dec 29th, it's become increasingly harder to trigger an avalanche. NW through E aspects near and above treeline that did not slide naturally during the avalanche cycle at the end of December continues to be able to propagate with easy to moderate force in long column tests in snowpits. This speaks to how poor the snowpack structure is and the inability of the facets to strengthen.  Obvious signs of instability like shooting cracks and collapses have been hard to come by recently.  We're living in this low likelihood of triggering an avalanche but consequences still remain high if you get the slope to avalanche. It may not be the first or second person on a slope but may be the fifth, if even at all.  Don't let your guard down if you're stepping out into steeper terrain. Our lack of reported avalanches over the last week is probably more a function of the lack of users (triggers) in this terrain than it is a strengthening snowpack.  The only way to assess if a poor snowpack structure exists on any given slope is by taking the time to dig down into the snow.        

With warming temperatures and powerful winter sun here at our southern latitude, we may see small loose snow sluffs in steeper terrain that could step down into deeper weak layers.

Below treeline, our snowpack is entirely faceted and shallow with lots of ground hazards. Stepping out of your skis in this terrain will result in immediately plummeting to the ground. There is certainly no shortage of weak snow to be found here. What we haven't been able to sustain all season long though is a cohesive slab and that's exactly what we lack currently. All season long, anytime we have developed a slab below treeline, the faceting process destroys it nearly as quickly as it was formed. Due to the cohesion-less nature of the snow, you may be able to produce small loose dry snow avalanches in steep terrain features that could sweep you off your feet.

Regioni coperte