East Slopes South

Look for more dangerous avalanche conditions as you climb or ride above 6500 ft, especially on slopes with wind loading that previously held snow. Strong winds will build thin slabs in a variety of terrain features, while they may scour and create variable travel on other slopes. The snowpack remains very thin across the East South, making access challenging and a small avalanche consequential. 

Winter-like weather is slowly trying to make a comeback in the East South zone. Tuesday night into Wednesday will bring heavy precipitation and a sharp cool down. Unfortunately, the heaviest precipitation will fall before snow lines drop, but we can expect roughly 25% of the precipitation totals to fall as snow through this forecast period. 

With that, expect a slow rise in avalanche danger, especially at mid- and lower elevations where new snow will largly fall on bare ground. However, it will be a different story and more dangerous above 6500 ft or closer to the Cascade Crest,  particularly on slopes that held snow before this storm system. Here, you’ll find high winds productively drifting new snow into potentially reactive slabs. Use visual cues, such as blowing snow and textured surfaces, to pinpoint which slopes are loading up and  more dangerous. New snow will fall on a variety of surfaces from slick crusts to moist snow, so slab sensitivity may vary from slope to slope at these upper elevations.

A stormy, winter-like pattern is finally taking hold. Over the next few days, ease into terrain slowly and weigh the consequences of an avalanche, especially with early-season hazards still present. We have a long season ahead—stay patient and let the snowpack build.

With the warm start to the 25-26 winter season, we have less snowpack information than usual to start daily forecast operations. For zones and elevation bands with less snow than needed for avalanche hazard, we will issue a forecast with No Rating. Anticipated avalanche and weather conditions will still be updated daily. NWAC will issue an avalanche danger rating for a zone when enough snow to produce avalanches has accumulated at middle and upper elevations.