East Slopes Central

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist. Any instability will be limited to small, isolated drifts in exposed terrain that may have formed from recent light accumulations. Your bigger hazard will continue to be from low snow and the firm, refrozen surfaces that exist across the terrain. Stay alert for areas where a small avalanche or slip on firm snow could come with big consequences. 

The precipitation associated with a small system won’t make it too far east of the Cascade Crest on Sunday evening. Far western reaches of the zone may pick up 1-2”, particularly closer to Snoqualmie Pass, which may be influenced by a Puget Sound Convergence zone. These are pretty low-impact water numbers, but there may just be enough new snow for small, isolated wind slabs to form in alpine terrain. Some of these small slabs could fail easily depending on what they form over. While the start of the day should feel cold, freezing levels should slowly climb as the day progresses and help some sun-exposed slopes soften during the afternoon hours. 

Last week, an NWAC Forecaster traveling in the French Cabin area found fresh wind-affected snow along ridgelines. In nearby zones, observers reported natural and triggered wind slabs in upper elevation terrain. Including a skier-triggered wind slab at Snoqualmie Pass on Friday near Chair Peak. Due to limited access and observations, we have minimal field data from upper elevations in East Central. We expect wind slabs to be isolated and difficult to trigger by now, but uncertainty remains. So make frequent observations and err on the side of caution before committing to steep, wind-loaded alpine terrain. 

Thanks to recent rain, warm temperatures, and sunshine, non-avalanche hazards abound. The zone is riddled with open creeks, random holes, exposed logs, and rocks. Lower elevations and south-west facing slopes are especially grim. Take your time as you travel around and plan for difficult mountain access.

Are you heading into the mountains? Let us know what you see by submitting an observation here or on the AvyApp.