Lawinenlagebericht

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Recent winds have raked through the eastern mountains, leaving firm slabs of drifted snow on various slopes due to unusual loading. While these slabs may be tough to trigger, the resulting avalanche could break 1-3 ft deep and ruin your day. Carefully evaluate wind-loaded pockets before exposing yourself to more consequential terrain features.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    Wind slabs are becoming more stubborn to trigger with time. Winds have blown from multiple directions over the last few days, so look for these slabs on various aspects. Strong winds have pressed these slabs into firmer 1F-P hard slabs in exposed alpine terrain. While these slabs may be stubborn, remember that any triggered wind slab can break wider and deeper than expected if it fails on weak snow above the Early February Crust. 

    Use visual clues such as blowing snow and textured surfaces to help you identify where the wind has been at work. Be suspect of terrain features that encourage drifting, such as the leeward sides of ridgelines, alpine couloirs, gully features, and cross-loaded depressions. Dial it back if you notice shooting cracks, whumphs, or hollow-sounding snow. 

    (2/18/2024)

    Triggering a wind slab in the wrong spot could result in a much larger and wider avalanche if it breaks on old snow above the Early February Crust. 

    Forecasters observed this 1-2 day-old avalanche in the Teanaway drainage on Sunday. 

    W aspect, 6200 ft

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

Monday will be a rinse and repeat for the east south mountains. Look for a similar type of day with 1-2 inches of new snow above the snow line, strong alpine winds, and freezing levels hovering near 5000 ft. With warmer temperatures, wet snow surfaces may materialize during daytime warming or if the sun pokes out. So watch for rollerballs or small wet loose avalanches if you notice the surface crust breaking down. 

The recent storm on 2/15 deposited 10-12 inches of low density new snow across the zone. In much of the region, this new snow now sits over a weak snowpack just above the early February crust. Observers region-wide, including in an NWAC forecaster in the Darland Mt area on Thursday, are finding weak, junky snow just above the stout EFC crust. This weak snow has already produced avalanches in neighboring zones ( observation here).

In most places, this new snow lacks the slab-like characteristics to produce an avalanche. However, you'll likely encounter this slab in wind loaded terrain or in areas where the sun and warmer temperatures stiffened up the recent snow. These slabs may not be that big but could be large enough to ruin your day if they fail on well-developed facets over a crust. 

Expect very thin (or even non-existent) snowpacks at lower elevations and on some steep southerly slopes. Unfortunately, we're still talking about travel hazards. Slick crusts, exposed obstacles, open creeks, and bare ground continue to make travel more adventurous. While this storm was a welcome refresh, it's probably still best to use established roads and groomed trails for better access to the high country. 

Your avalanche, snowpack, or weather observations are extremely valuable to the avalanche community. Help create a more accurate avalanche forecast by submitting your observations here. 

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