Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Light snow accumulations and wind have likely built thin slabs in terrain that promotes drifting. Pay attention to blowing snow, textured surfaces, or shooting cracks as obvious signs of recent loading. Rough travel and slick surfaces will continue to be a significant mountain hazard during this period. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

     A few inches of snow will build shallow, wind slabs across upper and some middle elevation slopes. Most of these slabs will remain small, but they could trigger easily in areas where they form over recent slick crust. 

    Pay attention to blowing snow and rippled, textured surfaces as clues of recent loading. You’ll typically find these slabs for these slabs on the leeside of ridges, below cornices, or on the beak-over of steep slopes. You can use small test slopes or hand pits to gauge how reactive these slabs are. Cracks shooting out from under your feet or machine are obvious signs that you may have found an unstable wind slab.

    (2/23/2024)

    An example of a shallow wind slab from last season. 

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

If you head out Sunday, you’ll likely find 1-3 inches of new snow resting over the widespread rain crust that extends to somewhere around 6000 ft in most locations around the zone. Rough, shallow travel will likely be your main hazard as you approach the mountains. However, above 6000 ft may be a different story where dry snow may still exist. If this is the case, you may want to ease into terrain slower and make snowpack assessments as you travel. 

The 12/7 crust likely won’t be an issue in most middle and lower elevations moving forward. But,higher elevations that escaped the recent rain event may still harbor weak snow adjacent to this crust. The Mission Ridge Pro Patrol reported propagating test results on faceted grains just beneath the 12/7 crust  on Saturday (NE, 6400 ft). While this is only one data point in the eastern mountains, its worth keeping on your radar if you venture to higher elevations or later week once we receive more loading. 

Let us know what you see by submitting a public observation. 

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