Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Expect spring-like conditions.  Avalanche danger will increase throughout the day as the sun and warming temperature melts surface snow.  Instability will also vary greatly with aspect as Loose Wet avalanches are most likely on the sunniest slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    There were reports of small Loose Wet avalanches on Sunday.  Monday may have a little cloud cover, but temperatures are forecast to be warmer, so I am expecting similar conditions.

    Loose Wet avalanches occurr when the surface snow melts enough that it looses cohesion and gravity pulls it downhill.  With below freezing temperatures forecast for tonight, Loose Wet avalanches will be impossible first thing in the morning.  As the sun heats slopes and the temperatures warm up, melting will occurr.  At first this should provide some good skiing! but as water percolates deeper into the snowpack it can lead to avalanches.  Of course the steepest and sunniest slopes become unstable first.  Pinwheels and rollerballs are pre-cursers to Loose Wet avalanches .

Avalanche Discussion

We have no reports of persistent weak layers in the Central OR Cascades.  Today was a day of transition, where we will largely leave behind our avalanche problems that were associated with our last storm (I saw a recent size 1.5, skier triggered slide, this morning at Tam Rim in steep crossloaded terrain).  Now we will be dealing with predominently Loose Wet avalanches, and maybe some Cornice Collapses as the week continues to warm up.  Avalanche activity is likely to be associated with diurnal warming and sunny skies.

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