Lawinenlagebericht

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
3 · Erheblich
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist last year abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

New snow and extreme wind speeds will make for dangerous avalanche conditions in wind loaded terrain on Tuesday. Focus your attention to blowing snow and wind-textured surfaces to help you steer around problematic slopes. Small, wet avalanche concerns may develop on southerly slopes if the sun decides to make an appearance.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong W/SW winds rapidly build slabs in leeward terrain as precipitation ramps up on Monday evening. Due to these strong wind velocities, slabs may lurk on mid-slope convexities and further downslope than you may anticipate.

    These slabs will range from soft to more stiff depending on your elevation. Look for these slabs to become denser and more consequential as you climb into more exposed terrain. Blowing snow should be easy to spot on Tuesday, so pay attention to where it's being deposited to help you identify wind loaded terrain. Ripples, dunes, and sharp cornices are all indicators of recent wind transport. Steer around steep, wind-loaded features especially if you notice shooting cracks, hard over soft layering, or recent avalanche activity. 

    (2/1/2025)

    Blowing snow, fresh drifts, sharp cornices, and rime all point towards wind loading along this ridgeline. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Loose Wet

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

    Small wet avalanches entraining new snow may initiate on slopes facing south and west during sunny periods. While most of these will remain small, don’t underestimate wet snow in more steep terrain.  Wet loose avalanches often start small and grow larger as they move downhill. Rollerballs and pinwheels are obvious clues that wet loose avalanches may soon follow. Steer around steep slopes if you notice rollerballs and pinwheels shedding or deep, mushy boot-penetrations. 

Avalanche Discussion

While the Monday evening/Tuesday morning system won’t be a big snow producer, the strong winds will be the main driver for the avalanche danger. Extreme wind speeds will productively build slabs as new snow accumulates.

The snowpack has likely endured a pretty significant beating from our recent atmospheric river. We suspect most slopes likely have a new crust that will reduce the chance of triggering persistent slabs, but its always hard to say during these post-storm periods when  travel is challenging and observations are minimal. Travel with curiosity and have some skepticism before riding on steep slopes that previously harbored weak structure. Digging a quick snowpit can offer valuable information to help you make more informed decisions before entering steep terrain.

Submit an observation to help NWAC Forecasters reduce uncertainty. It can be short, simple, and even anonymous. Any information you have will help us write more accurate forecasts that will, in turn, better help guide your backcountry decision making.

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