East Slopes South

Not much snow will make it over to the east side of the Cascades from the approaching storm, and the most significant hazard will remain long falls on very icy slopes. Bring appropriate equipment for travel on these surfaces, and don't expect them to soften with clouds, winds, and cooler temperatures in the forecast. 

A change in the weather pattern will bring windy conditions and light snow to the Cascades. Unfortunately, most of that snow stays near and west of the Cascade Crest. If you are traveling in areas close to the crest, you may be able to find small pockets of wind-blown snow near ridges and trigger mini wind slabs that slide easily on the icy surfaces.  Harsh travel conditions on thick crusts will likely present the most significant hazard on Monday.  With drastically colder temperatures, moderate winds, and clouds, surfaces are unlikely to soften in the afternoon. Take appropriate precautions to prevent uncontrollable slides on steep slopes. You will also likely find that there are now many exposed obstacles and open creeks to navigate around.

On Saturday, forecaster Andrew Kiefer was out in the Ahtanum area of the East South zone and found a strong and stable snowpack. You can read more about the conditions in the observation. Unfortunately, many southern aspects and ridges melted out to bare ground, clear evidence of the recent prolonged warm temperatures. Thankfully valley inversions have preserved some snow at lower elevations, so the riding conditions and groomed trails are still open to travel.