East Slopes Central

A firm overnight freeze and increasing clouds on Monday should help keep the snowpack ‘locked up.’ Even though the avalanche danger is generally safe, travel conditions may not be. Expect firm irregular snow, bare ground, open creeks, and random holes.

After a warm, wet week and a very spring-like weekend, Monday will be a bit of a transition day in the mountains. Clear skies Sunday night should allow the snow surface to freeze solid. Even though temperatures may be warm, increasing clouds may limit any softening of the surface during the day. Essentially, we should be left with a frozen brick. That’s great from an avalanche perspective, but it might not do much for travel, unless you want to try out crampons (metal spikes). 

While we expect the surface crust to be firm and thick, conditions often vary across large zones like the East Central. A thinner, breakable crust would be more likely further east in the zone and at the highest elevations, where less rain fell during last week’s storms. 

From March 15th -19th, a series of warm, wet systems brought rain well into the upper elevation terrain. Areas near the Cascade Crest recorded 3-4 inches of water, while the Wenatchees only received about 1/4 inch. In rainier locations, water likely fully wet the snowpack, including old, persistent weak layers. Reports from the nearby Stevens Pass zone indicate that this water finally drained, and the wet layers froze into strong crusts. Further east, water may not have reached very deep into the snow. A drier, layered snowpack structure could persist in these areas. Not surprisingly, natural wet avalanches released during, and possibly immediately following, this extensive period of rain. This includes numerous wide wet slabs that have been observed in neighboring forecast zones.

One things for sure, the recent weather hasn’t helped coverage. Lower elevations and southerly aspects are particularly grim. Creeks, holes, bare dirt, logs, rocks… and the list goes on. Even where snow coverage is better, the surface will be firm, rough, and unforgiving. Take your time. Travel conditions will probably be the biggest hazard of the day.