East Slopes North

With sunny spring days, the snow will be icy and firm in the morning, then wet and heavy in the afternoon. Shedding cornices are a potential hazard, so avoid lingering below. While wet avalanches are likely to be small and isolated, take care to move off steep slopes if you're sinking deeply into wet snow. 

We'll be moving into a spring diurnal pattern, but each day of the week will warm up a little bit more. You should expect icy, slick surfaces in the morning that gradually soften throughout the day. Sunny aspects will warm up more quickly, while northerly aspects will take longer.  

We went a number of days with temperatures well above freezing. So while the cooler temperatures are helping reduce wet avalanche activity, there will be variability in how well surfaces refreeze and how quickly they become wet and slushy in the afternoon. As things warm up, pay attention to snow surfaces. If you're sinking in deeply, it might be time to move to lower-angle terrain. Cornices, shedding, and steep rocks and cliffs might still send snow down from above. Move through terrain with overhead hazards more quickly in the warm afternoon.  The weekend brought temperatures that topped out in the mid-50°Fs at 5000ft near Washington Pass. All aspects experienced a significant wet avalanche cycle. Most avalanches were small, but avalanche professionals reported D2 wet-loose slides off Liberty Bell on Monday morning. An NWAC forecaster near Washington Pass reported mostly firm surfaces in the morning that quickly warmed and became wet, and that were sinking into wet snow by early afternoon at mid-elevations. They also noted that the overnight refreeze was variable, and some upper elevation terrain did not receive a solid refreeze overnight. 

Snow cover is thin on southerly slopes and at low elevations. Be aware of exposed rocks and open creeks. WSDOT has begun plowing operations on Hwy 20 between Silver Star trailhead and Newhalem. The road will be closed to all traffic Monday through Thursday while workers and machinery are operating.