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IMPORTANT: The following information is provided in good faith. Both the observation and forecasting methods used to provide this summary are not consistent with international standard. They are based in the collective experience of those providing input on the conditions, the hazards and the respective rating if provided. Due to both the spatial and often subjective nature of the observation input available, forecasting is at best an estimate. Understanding, knowledge and practise in self assessment of alpine hazards is crucial to safe backcountry travel in all alpine areas covered here.
MAIN RANGE NSW:
RECENT OBSERVATIONS
UPDATED: 10th SEPTEMBER 2019
REPORT CONFIDENCE: WEAK
CURRENT UNTIL: 14TH SEPTEMBER 2019
CONDITIONS SUMMARY
Observed natural and human triggered avalanches. The new snow that has fallen over the last 62hrs measuring 40cm at the stakes, but a staggering 120cm in windloaded aspects lee to the west and south west has in places overloaded the delightful wet gloop (Thursday Morning precip event) with a quickly morphing graupel layer, caught between the bulletproof melt freeze crust of August and this new significant windloading. Over the last 24hrs the southerly wind direction has contributed to transportation of snow from aspects south and south west to accentuate the wind slab hazards on aspects with any east and north in them (the likely cause of these 120cm drifts). Watch out for natural and sympathetic avalanche in the vicinity of these slopes, particularly as the temps ramp back to 0˚ and beyond over the following days. These observations are limited to areas in the south of the park (DHG) and may not be consistent with what’s observed north at Tate and the Guthega Trig. Anyone out there? I think the rest of the crew are crawling away from their respective hangovers and Victoria at large and we will get a better picture over the following days.
OBSERVED HAZARDS & ACTIVITY
• Natural and human avalanches / small aspects lee to south and west.
• Building windslab hazard on aspects lee to south.
• Ice hazard on exposed higher elevation aspects south and west.
Primary Hazard / Wind Slab
Secondary Hazard / Hard Ice and rime
ALPINE WEATHER
Mostly sunny. Winds south to southwesterly 25 to 35 km/h becoming light in the middle of the day.
CONDITIONS Outlook
IMPROVING / ONGOING / DETERIORATING
Scheduled Observations
MT TATE & GUTHEGA TRIG AREA
BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONs:
NA
