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AVALANCHE CENTER FORECASTS
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Avalanche center forecasts
Danger Rating Scale
The North American Avalanche Danger Scale is a tool used by avalanche forecasters. This scale helps communicate the potential for avalanches to cause harm or injury to backcountry travelers. The video below provides an overview of the scale. It also is a quick illustration of how it applies to your daily backcountry risk assessment.
The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale is a five-level system. It communicates the danger of avalanches, ranging from Low to Extreme. It’s a crucial tool for backcountry travelers to assess the likelihood, size, and distribution of avalanches. The scale is not linear. The danger can increase exponentially as you move up the levels. This means a jump from Moderate to Considerable is more than just a one-level increase.
- Low: Generally stable conditions. Avalanches are unlikely, but isolated pockets of instability may exist.
- Moderate: Heighten avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Careful route finding and terrain assessment are crucial.
- Considerable: Dangerous avalanche conditions. Avalanches are possible and human activity may trigger.
- High: Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Natural avalanches are likely. Avalanches very likely when human’s trigger. Travel in avalanche terrain is not a suggestion.
- Extreme: Extraordinary avalanche conditions. Avalanches are very likely to occur naturally or be triggered by human activity. Stay out of all avalanche terrain.
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