Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago.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

Highlights

You can trigger an avalanche in pockets of wind-drifted snow on Saturday. Look for these pockets at mid and upper elevations, specifically on the down-wind side of ridges and in the alpine.  If you see the wind blowing snow or notice wind-textured surfaces, give yourself some space from steep wind-loaded slopes. 

 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A few inches of new snow and a healthy dose of moderate winds will help shallow wind slabs form on specific terrain features at mid and upper elevations. These slabs will be shallow, but could still be consequential in the wrong terrain. These slabs could be easily triggered since they may be forming on a slick crust or even weak, sugary snow. So if you see the wind actively blowing snow or wind textured surfaces, give yourself some space from steep wind-drifted slopes. 

    (1/22/2023)

    You may notice shallow instabilties like this on Saturday. Look for wind-stiffened snow, cracking,  or snow sliding easily to help you idenitfy areas of concern. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

This system should bring light precipitation (.<25 ) and strong ridgeline winds to the east south. Wind speeds should relax during the afternoon hours on Saturday. Any new snow that falls, should be easily transported by the moderate wind speeds. 

New snow will be falling on a variety of surfaces. In more exposed areas or sunny aspects (SW-S-SE), new snow will be falling on a melt-freeze crust. On more shaded slopes, snow will be falling on settled powder and potentially weak, sugary surface snow.

Reports from the north and west continue to trickle in pointing at near-surface facets existing on many shaded aspects. As new snow piles up, dig down to see how the new snow is bonding with the old snow surface. 

If you get out into the East-South, please let us know by submitting an observation!

 

Thanks for reading.

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