Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Above freezing temperatures and rising freezing levels will increase the potential for wet loose activity today.  Steep slopes, especially those with exposure to the sun will be the most likely aspects to see avalanche activity.  If you observe roller balls, pinwheels, or can feel the snow becoming moist it's time to change aspect, move higher in elevation, or avoid traveling on or under steep slopes.  

Forecast presented by @onxbackcountry. onX Backcountry is a GPS  navigation and mapping tool designed with your backcountry objectives in mind, equipped with Avalanche Forecast and Slope Angle layers, Offline Maps and more.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    If you observe the surface snow forming roller balls, pinwheels, or the dry cold snow starts becoming moist it's time to consider simpler terrain.  Temperatures have been below freezing since it snowed earlier this week but will shoot up into the 40s in the Blues today.  Freezing levels will also rise and the surface snow will have a chance to form into more of a slab.  If you feel the snowpack is changing, it's time to move to a shadier aspect, go higher in elevation, or avoid traveling on steep slopes or underneath them.  

Avalanche Discussion

Unfortunately, the cold smoke that fell in the Blues earlier this week is going to get capped by a melt-freeze crust today, and it looks like rain will be in the forecast for early next week.  Rising temperatures and snow levels today will increase the avalanche danger to Moderate at the mid and low elevations.  I've kept the danger at low for the upper elevations, as hopefully the warm temperatures won't effect the high elevation snow significantly.  

Regions covered