Aoraki/Mt Cook — Avalanche Forecast

A handful of small (size 1) loose wet avalanches have run on sunny slopes since the weekend. Showers developing before dawn, some heavy from afternoon with snow to 1500 metres.Wind at 1000 metres: Northwesterly 45 km/h, rising to gale 65 km/h in the evening.Wind at 2000 metres: Northwesterly 45 km/h, rising to gale 65 km/h in the morning, and to severe gale 95 km/h at night.Wind at 3000 metres: Northwesterly 40 km/h, rising to gale 65 km/h in the morning.Freezing level: 2100 metres, lowering to 1800 metres before dawn. Most slick surfaces have been covered with new snow, but an ice axe and crampons are recommended for travel above 2500m.

Around 100cm of new snow has fallen about the Divide since late Thursday and into Friday with 50cm at Mueller hut (1800m elevation), and around 60cm in the Liebig range, around 40cm in the Cass, and 20-30cm in the southern Gammacks above around 1000m. This snow is generally well settled and has dried out on shady slopes after several cold nights, with areas of surface hoar and near surface facets developing. The previous snow surface was a mix of rain crust below 1800m, and wind scoured surfaces in exposed areas and windpressed snow in sheltered areas above 1800m. The lower snowpack is generally well bonded with no major layers of concern.