Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

On Wednesday it will be possible to trigger a Wind Slab avalanche on North slopes at and above treeline.  Moderate winds will swing from SouthEast to SouthWest and could move snow onto lee (North) slopes creating a consolidated slab.  Potential Wind Slab avalanches will be relatively small (D1), so be most wary on steep committing slopes or when terrain traps are present.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    It seems that the forecast has been Moderate with Wind Slabs on the problem list for as long as I can remember (perhaps this is just the nature of Central O?).  Wind Slabs will continue to be possible on Wednesday.  While the danger remains Moderate, I am not anticipating the Wind Slabs of last weekend.  Rather potential Wind Slab avalanches on Wednesday will be small.  Nonetheless shifting winds, and an abundance of soft snow means that a rider could be swept off their feet or injured on slopes where terrain traps are present.

    Continue to look for blowing snow, and changes in the depth and consistency of the surface snow as you move across aspects or up in elevation.

Avalanche Discussion

I've been psyched to have such continuous winter weather!  Soft snow has been abundant and large avalanches have been minimal.  While the weather will remain stormy, Wednesday will be the beginning of a warming trend that should peak at the end of this week before temperatures return to near current levels.  With no relevant persistent weak layers in our snowpack, any avalanche characters will result from recent weather (direct action avalanches).

Regions covered