Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Snow, freezing rain, rain, and warming will all stress the snowpack today. Triggering an avalanche of some type will be likely in any avalanche terrain, especially as the day progresses and snow levels increase. Careful monitoring of the changing weather and cautious route selection will be required today.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

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

    Snow, freezing rain, rain, and warming will all stress the snowpack today.  This combination increases the likelihood of a wet slab avalanche. Paying attention to what kind of precipitation is falling from the sky and how warm it is getting will clue you into how fast a Wet Slab problem is developing.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3

    Weight and warming will stress our Deep Persistent Slab problem today.  It is weather events like the one we are experiencing that increase the likelihood that an avalanche will occur on the weak buried November snow. It is wise to give the slopes and run-out zones harboring this problem a wide berth.

Avalanche Discussion

Temperatures have warmed since yesterday in all locations. This trend will continue today and into tomorrow. Precipitation types will be varied and are hard to predict.  The combination of added weight from precipitation and rising snow levels sets us up for a period of active avalanche conditions.  The varied precipitation types will make for interesting surface conditions. The potential for unenjoyable or dangerous surfaces is high.

The slabs in the pictures below could be activated by the warming and precipitation.

Regions covered