Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Small wet slides or rollerballs on sunny slopes and avalanches in shallow pockets of wind-drifted snow in isolated areas at upper elevations are considerations for Tuesday. We don't expect these avalanches to be widespread or of much significance in typical terrain, but they could pose risks in high consequence terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    A few inches of fresh snow over slick crusts and sunbreaks in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon will make small wet loose avalanches possible. There isn't much fresh snow to entrain and create larger wet avalanches, and this might just end up being a widespread rollerball event. However, getting hung up in a small slide still carries risks, especially in rugged terrain. Pinwheels, rollerballs, and deep, wet snow all indicate that wet avalanches are possible.

    Overhead hazards from snow falling off rock slabs and cornice failures might pose greater hazards. So keep your eyes on the slopes above and don't linger beneath overhung cornices or rocks that could still shed snow. 

    (3/17/2025)

    Small wet loose avalanches often start from rocks or trees like in this photo. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The east central zone picked up a few inches of fresh snow in the last 24hrs. Strong winds accompanied the storm in the beginning, and small shallow wind slabs may have formed at the upper elevations. We expect this problem to be isolated to very steep, confined alpine features or sharp ridgelines at the upper extent of our forecast area. Assess slopes for textured surfaces, drifts, or shooting cracks that indicate wind slabs before committing to consequential terrain. 

On Saturday, observers in the Icicle Creek Drainage found wind-affected snow, crusts, and rain runnels up to the upper elevations. Small, shallow wind slabs were reactive. The old avalanche debris and crusts made for some challenging travel, but some soft surface conditions could be found. Access at lower elevations is melting out quickly, so you might want to plan for longer approaches. With limited observations this time of the season, there is inherently more uncertainty in our avalanche forecast. You can help reduce that uncertainty by submitting a public observation here. 

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