Bollettino valanghe

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sat
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
3 · Marcato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 3 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

You could trigger an avalanche large enough to bury you on steep east and south facing slopes. New snow and strong winds are increasing avalanche size where natural avalanches may occur. Choose to travel on wind scoured slopes or icy firm surfaces without overhead hazards to avoid an avalanche today.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The avalanche hazard will be increasing through the day as strong west and northwest winds transport snow and build wind slabs on southern and eastern terrain. If the snow you are traveling through becomes deeper and denser you've found a wind slab. Cracks shooting out from in front of your skis are clear indications that the slab you found is unstable. Look for blowing snow at the ridgelines as a red flag to know that winds are loading snow. Recent avalanches are also a sign that slopes are unstable and conditions are dangerous.

    Today, employ conservative decision making as you assess the depth and sensitivity of the new wind slabs. Use your ski pole to measure the thickness of new slabs and hand shears to assess the sensitivity. If you find snow above your boot tops today, consider an alternate route as you have found a large wind slab. Careful route finding may be more challenging with limited visibility due to blowing snow.

Avalanche Discussion

The question for today is where, how big, and how sensitive? 

With a west and northwest wind, the location question is easiest to answer. You could find new wind slabs in the southeast half of the compass, with the largest wind slabs located on east, southeast, and south aspects. With strong wind speeds forecast, these wind slabs will likely be in the middle of gullies where there is more shelter from the wind. It is possible to find them higher in elevation, but the larger and more consequential wind slab tends to form well below the ridgelines as strong winds push them down into the steep and convex sections. 

If snow totals are on the upper end of what is forecast, there is the potential to find large wind slabs in terrain as winds will build slabs through the day. Look for planar, smooth, and pillowy snow. Use your ski pole to measure depth to give you an idea of the thickness of the new wind slabs. Consider that blowing snow may obscure visibility and limit visual observations today.

Sensitivity can be assessed with column tests and hand shears. Dig down to the interface of previous snow or the old scoured melt-freeze crust and see how this new snow is bonding. 

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.

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