Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Cascades - South East.
You'll likely find a slowly refreezing upper snowpack with pockets of new thin wind slab near and above treeline Sunday. If you suspect the dangerous snowpack structure currently found north of I-90 also exists in the East Slopes South zone, put an extra buffer between you and terrain where large avalanches can run, start and stop.
Discussion
Light rain, potentially with areas of freezing rain in protected valleys, and high alpine winds buffeted the East Slopes South zone Saturday. Strong west winds and a few inches of fresh snow late Saturday night through Sunday morning will likely limit new avalanche hazards to shallow wind slabs forming on a refreezing upper snowpack on lee slopes near and above treeline.Â
Forecast Schedule and No Rating
At this time, we do not have enough specific snowpack information to issue an avalanche hazard rating for the East Slopes South zone. However, even when No Rating is applied, applicable avalanche conditions and backcountry travel advice will be provided throughout the season. When weather systems produce very dangerous avalanche conditions in adjacent zones, NWAC will issue an avalanche warning for this zone as well.