East Slopes Central

With the drip drop of new snow accumulations, keep looking out for small slabs of wind drifted snow just below exposed ridgelines. Areas to the south and east in the zone will likely see periods of sunshine, which could weaken new snow and cause small loose avalanches. Any small avalanche is unlikely to bury you, but consider the consequences of being carried downhill in any terrain you choose.

Areas around Leavenworth and Icicle Creek were treated some upslope snowfall midday on Tuesday. The Salmon La Sac also picked up an inch or two. It was pretty quiet in the rest of the zone, with mostly cloudy skies and cold temperatures higher up. We'll see pretty similar weather on Wednesday with upslope snowfall hitting areas close to the Cascade Crest and depositing small amounts of new snow. It won't be enough to increase avalanche danger, but there's usually a chance of wind slab formation on lee slopes following stormy weather. Take note of textured surfaces, freshly formed drifts and cornices, and blowing snow. These can all be signs that a wind slab might lurk nearby.  Some small, aging slabs may still exist around Mission Ridge, which received 3-5 inches on Monday.

Widespread buried surface hoar has been observed in this zone and throughout others. Additionally, there is a complex crust/facet sandwich found within the upper portion of the snowpack. So far, all this new snow has fallen too incrementally and lacks the cohesion for these layers to become problematic. Will each new inch we get be what it takes to tip the scales? It's hard to say, but it wouldn't be a waste of your time to dig small hand pits and check the bond between interfaces. Buried surface hoar will show up as a "dull grey line" in the uppermost portion of the snowpack. Faceted snow is often characterized as "loose and sugary," and you'll probably find it just underneath a relatively hard and supportable crust. Let us know what you're finding by submitting an observation to the website or AvyApp.

Odds are that areas to the south and east in the zone will see periods of full sun again on Wednesday. New and recent snow will be easily influenced, and you may see natural or triggered loose snow avalanches. They could be dry or wet, but either way, if you're seeing chunks of snow falling from trees and cliffs, take that as a sign that conditions are beginning to deteriorate.

This return to winter is slowly improving travel conditions, but you'll still find very low snow coverage at lower elevations, and in the Wenatchees at all elevations. Give yourself some extra time and precaution to manage these exposed hazards, and know that some may be obscured by new snow.