Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

The avalanche danger may be low, but still use caution in wind-drifted terrain at upper elevations where small slabs may have formed over buried weak layers. While any fresh wind slab will be shallow and isolated, they could trigger easily and carry you on a slick crust in steep, consequential terrain. Pay attention to surface clues like ripples, dunes, or sharp drifts to help you anticipate where unstable slabs may exist. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Small slabs of wind blown snow have formed near ridges and saddles in the alpine. While these will be small, they could be sensitive to a rider's weight in areas where they formed over weak snow surfaces above the 2/7 crust. We received good confirmation on Saturday that these persistent grains got buried in the nearby White Pass and Crystal Mountain area. 

    You’ll find these slabs on the downwind sides of ridges, below cornices, and in rocky alpine terrain. Pay attention to changes in snow surface texture and hardness with aspect and elevation. Look and feel for blowing snow, sharp drifts, and hollow-sounding snow. Shooting cracks of whumphs are obvious signs that you found an unstable slab. 

    (1/3/2026)

    Scoured featuers can help you anticipate slopes that could hold fresh wind slabs. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

The East South didn’t get much precipitation out of Friday night's storm, but if you’re up near Bumping Lake or White Pass, you may find about 2-3 inches of new snow and higher amounts with elevation gain. Based on recent observations from the nearby West South, we suspect these new accumulations may have capped potential weak layers like surface hoar or near-surface facets. We don’t have enough new snow for these layers to be an issue yet - but I would exercise extra caution as you crest into the wind zone or if you travel west of Bumping Lake or around the Tieton, where there might be enough overlying slab to start creating issues. 

Early season conditions continue to plague the lower elevations and sun-exposed slopes across the east south. Even at higher elevations, shallow conditions exist. Ride carefully and consider the consequences of small avalanches in big terrain when the snowpack is so thin. 

We could use the observations in this zone. Let us know what you see by submitting an observation here or on the AvyApp. 

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