Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

A slow transition back to dry snow avalanches is underway. You may still find some lingering wet snow avalanches, but avalanches in wind-drifted snow should be your primary concern. Look for actively drifting snow and pillow-like drifts near ridges to identify and avoid these wind-loaded features. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    As temperatures cool and we slowly transition back to dry snow, winds will drift the new snow into wind slabs near ridges at upper elevations. Eastern areas of the zone will likely just pick up a few inches of snow, so we expect most of these avalanches to be shallow. However, areas near the crest may receive more snow, and avalanches could be larger. Above about 6000ft, there could also be older wind slabs that formed above the snow/rain line on Sunday and Monday. There were reports from Mission Ridge of some of these wind slabs running on an old layer of buried surface hoar. This layer is likely isolated in distribution, but there is potential for a large surprising avalanche on northerly aspects. 

    The most likely locations to trigger a wind slab will be in alpine terrain near steep, rocky ridgelines and confined gullies. If you see large pillow-like drifts, shooting cracks, or the snow feels hollow beneath you, simply travel on lower-angle slopes or steer around these wind-loaded features.

    (4/8/2023)

    Slab triggered by a cornice fall that ran on a surface hoar layer from the end of March.

    Photo: Mission Ridge Ski Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

Tuesday isn't going to be the sharp, drastic cooldown we typically see in mid-winter. Much of the expected overnight precipitation may fall as rain before transitioning to snow, leaving the possibility of lingering wet avalanche concerns on Tuesday. The cooler temperatures will likely drastically reduce the wet loose avalanche activity, but steep rocky terrain features may still shed as water continues to drain from the snowpack.  While most of these avalanches would be inconsequential, some very steep, smooth rock faces may still have lingering glide avalanche concerns. If you see a big frowning glide crack in the snowpack on steep, smooth terrain, give yourself a wide berth around these unpredictable avalanches. 

In most areas, the snowpack at lower elevations is well consolidated or on its way to melting out, but it's a different story higher up. Check out some nice photos of nasty wet slides in the zone I took on Sunday.

Above 6,000ft, you could find up to 2ft or more of recent storm snow since early April. Most aspects hold a crust beneath the recent storm layer, but on high north and east aspects, there could be a thin layer of surface hoar from the end of March. On Saturday and Sunday, Mission Ridge Ski Patrol reported large, sensitive cornices from their ridgeline. Some of these triggered slabs that stepped down up to 2ft deep on this layer (see photos below).

Regions covered