Avalanche forecast

Southern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

New snow and strong winds have created sensitive slabs of snow.  It is likely for a rider to trigger a large avalanche today in steep wind loaded terrain.  Avoid terrain that is steeper than 35 degrees and has been loaded by new snow and wind.  

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The Northern Wallowas have reveived 12" of new snow with 1.7" of snow water equivelant since 1/3/22.  Overnight winds at the Mt. Howard weather station have been in the strong category with gusts reaching 64 mph.  With ample snow available for transport, and the winds forecasted to persist, careful terrain evaluation is critical for backcountry travel today.  Look for signs of wind drifted snow such as rippled snow surfaces, dome and hollow sounding snow surfaces, and plumes of snow off of ridgelines.  Cornices will be growing larger and be sensitive along ridgelines today.  Give them a wide berth.  

  • Storm Slabs

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

    In below treeline and sheltered terrain, the combination of the additional 6" of snow and warming temperatures that is expected today could form cohesive slabs that are reactive to a rider in the steep terrain above 35 degrees.  Look for evidence of storm slabs on road cuts or use small inconsequential test slopes to observe reactivity of the new storm snow.  Quick hand pits and pole pokes are a great way to see if harder snow sits above softer snow.  If you see shooting cracks from your skis, board, or machine, avalanches are likely.  If you feel the snowpack collapse under your boards or machine, avalanches are likely.    

Avalanche Discussion

There have been temperature fluctuations within the storm snow since 1/3/22 that have created softer layers that sit underneath harder layers.  These softer snow layers that are a result of colder temperature swings will be a likely weak layer under more cohesive snow that will fall today during the warming temperatures. See photos below for examples of wind transport, corce growth, and storm slab activity that observers found in the western wallowas in the last several days. 

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