Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

There may be lingering pockets of wind drifted snow at higher elevations where you could trigger an avalanche. Avoid traveling on these stiff pillow-like drifts of snow in steep terrain. Sun and warming temperatures may make small wet avalanches possible at lower elevations. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Winds drifted snow around during the recent storm, and lingering wind slabs likely exist near ridges and in exposed terrain at mid-elevations. The most likely place to trigger one of these wind slabs would be steep rocky terrain on exposed ridgelines. Look for textured surfaces and cornice formations to point towards wind loaded terrain. Wind slabs often feel stiff and hollow, and you can use your probe or ski pole to identify where these slabs may exist. Where you find evidence of wind slabs, steer around steep terrain. Another option is to approach ridgelines from windward slopes that are scoured down to the recent Christmas Crust, although you should expect slippery travel conditions on these scoured slopes. If you see cracks shooting out from your skis, this is a sign that you can trigger these wind slabs and should travel on lower angle terrain. 

    (12/9/2022)

    Wind loaded slopes will often exist directly under freshly formed cornices like this. 

    Photo: Mitchell Barton

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    The sun may break through the clouds in the eastern Cascades on Saturday. Along with warming temperatures, this could lead to some small wet loose avalanches. As the recent snow becomes heavy and wet, it could slide easily on the underlying crust. Very steep slopes in the sun are the most likely place for these avalanches to occur. While they are likely to be small, use caution if traveling in very steep terrain, where getting knocked off your feet could have high consequences. Look for rollerballs or wet snow surfaces as a sign wet avalanches may be possible. 

    (12/30/2022)

    Shooting cracks in a fresh wind slab in the Teanaway drainage on Friday. These long cracks are bullseye information of unstable snow.

    Photo: Rob Pollard

Avalanche Discussion

In most locations in the East Central zone, 8-10 inches of new snow rests over the Christmas Crust. There were some observations of shallow but sensitive storm slab instabilities in some locations on Friday. These may linger into Saturday, and you could trigger small soft storm slabs in steeper terrain. As you step out into new terrain, keep your senses tuned into the snow and use quick hand pits to monitor this new snow interface as you travel. Storm slabs are possible if you find the new snow slide easily in hand pits or small, steep test slopes produce mini avalanches.   

On Tuesday near Salmon La Sac, I found significant dry snow below the crust and a well-preserved layer of buried surface hoar in the snowpack. This persistent weak layer showed the potential for initiation and propagation in snowpack tests. Triggering this layer is unlikely because it is below the very thick freezing rain Christmas crust. However, there may be isolated pockets of terrain where a large trigger, such as a snowmobile, could initiate an avalanche on this layer. Therefore, it's worth digging down to look for this thin grey line of feathery surface hoar in the snowpack before committing to steep terrain in sheltered gullies or near rocks and cliffs. 

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