East Slopes South

Cooling temperatures and increasing winds will cause the snowpack to freeze and gain strength. Avalanches will be unlikely Friday anywhere you encounter a crust at the snow surface. Expect the weather to pendulum from spring back to winter, and for a few inches of new snow to accumulate over the weekend.

The snowpack cooked on Thursday as high temperatures at the Green Lake SNOTEL (5900ft) hit 55F and the strong April sun beat down on the Cascades. NWAC staff in the nearby White Pass backcountry witnessed widespread loose wet activity, massive pinwheels, and a handful of natural wet slab avalanches in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Nearly 2ft of saturated storm snow was found above the Early April Crust in wind-sheltered locations. The snowpack around Darland Mountain and Beargrass Ridge looked to be in a similar condition from afar, but direct obs from the zone are limited. 

The potential for wet snow avalanches is diminishing and wind slabs that formed during the 4/3-5 storm are stubborn to unreactive to triggers. Avalanche conditions in most locations Friday should be generally safe. You may still find isolated areas of wet snow around rocks and cliffs, and any soggy cornices features are still worth giving a wide berth. An active pattern looks to continue through the weekend, and a promising storm Saturday night could deliver a few inches of new snow.

 A shallow, patchy snowpack exists in the southern and eastern areas of the zone, even on shaded north aspects. Some southern slopes are snow-free up to 5700ft. Use extra caution in these lower elevations where obstacles may be lurking just under the new snow, and creek holes may be drifted over or hidden.