Recognize When Weather and Conditions Can Affect Travel

Weather conditions directly impact the avalanche danger rating, but they also impact your travel through the terrain. Be flexible in your plan and if the conditions are unsafe, turn around and come back on a safer day or pick another line.

Examples of how weather can negatively impact your safety include:

Low clouds, fog, or heavy snowfall can all obscure your view. You won’t be able to see start zones far above you and it’s easier to miss a critical observation, such as a recent avalanche or blowing snow along a ridgetop. Poor visibility can also reduce your ability to estimate slope incline, see terrain features or terrain traps, and navigate safely around steep slopes. Never underestimate how much information you lose in poor light

Heavy winds can create blowing snow and disorienting whiteout conditions that obscure visibility at or near ridgetops, when moving through passes, and in any normal alpine setting. Wind, cold, and blowing snow encourages you to keep hoods and helmets on, which can affect the group ability to converse and discuss important decisions. It’s hard to achieve consensus when the whole group would just like to get out of the cold and wind.

Clear weather means easy observations. Mountain summits and start zones are easily visible, but the clarity increases the likelihood of sunburn and snow blindness. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment on a bluebird day after a long period of storm or clouds, but don’t let new snow and clear skies lure you into overlooking any red flags or rushing your observations of the terrain.

Recognize When Weather Affects the Hazard

Page 5 of The AIARE Fieldbook provides a reminder of unstable weather and snowpack conditions for a quick reference while traveling. Use this reference when planning to talk about the impacts of the weather forecast and conditions reported in the avalanche advisory.

Unstable conditions refer to particular events or observations that increase the likelihood of avalanches such as a significant amount of wind or snowfall. Observing and verbally identifying weather conditions that grab your attention will alert you that avalanche danger may be increasing. If any of these conditions are present, they are the first thing to discuss when talking about weather factors that will affect travel or the hazard.