Avalanche forecast

Northern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

New snow that fell yesterday was followed by moderate Northwest winds with strong gusts.  These conditions have likely blown the snow into slabs on leeward sides of ridgelines as well as cross loaded mid slope terrain features.    Look for signs of windloading such as pillowy rounded features or rippled snow surface, and avoid these areas especially where even a small avalanche could carry you over consequential terain.   At lower elevations, mostly stable snowpack condtions are expected, but as always look for red flags of instability such as recent avalanches, cracks in the snowpack or whumphing to alert you to localized instabilities. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    5" of new snow fell in the Southern Wallowas yesterday and was followed by moderate northwest winds with stronger gusts.  Last evenings wind gusts at the Kip Rand Station were in the 30's with a max gust of 58.  These conditions will have loaded the leeward sides of ridgelines with fresh windslabs that sit on a mostly firm snow surface.  Due to the stronger gusts, look for wind loading lower down on slopes that normal and evaluate exposed steep terrain that could have been crossloaded by the Northwest winds.  Avoid areas where you notice signs of wind loading such as rounded pillowy snow drifts, hollow sounding snow, or snow with a rippled snow texture, especially if these areas are above consequential terrain traps such as cliffs, gullies, or dense trees.  

Avalanche Discussion

Lower elevations should provide nice riding conditions with a mostly strong snowpack and 3-5" of fresh dense snow on top.  Utilize hand shears and small test slopes to test for how well the new and old snow is bonded.  The 1/6 layer in the Southern Wallowas was less of a noticable crust, and no significant observations have been made around this layer in the last week.  As always, look for signs of localized instability such as recent avalanches, shooting cracks in the new snow, whumphing or collapsing of the snowpack, or strong over weak snow in your snowpits.  

In near treeline terrain yesterday, there were reports of wet roller balls.  Temperatures should have cooled the snow down overnight and look to remain below freezing, but if noticing signs of wet loose avalanches in localized areas, stay off of slopes greater than 35 degrees.  

Regions covered