Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger should be limited to terrain holding slabs of recently wind drifted snow. If you experience clear skies and warming, look for small wet avalanches on sunny slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Increasing wind speeds are nearly guaranteed. The extent of wind slab formation will depend on how much soft and dry snow is available for transport. This is most likely at upper elevations, where more snow accumulated in the last few days, and temperatures stayed cooler. If you find dry snow and strong wind at mid elevations, then the danger is a bit higher there as well. Fresh slabs forming over a slick crust can be especially reactive.

    Actively blowing or drifting snow will show you which slopes are loading up. Track the depth of wind drifted snow as you gain elevation or change aspects. This should be easy to do with a crust below the new snow in most places. Simple tests like hand pits and stomping on wind drifted features can help you gauge stability.

    Blowing snow makes it pretty easy to figure out which slopes are getting loaded.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The bulk of wet avalanche activity has likely come and gone. Below-freezing temperatures and clear skies overnight should form a crust anywhere wet snow was found today. Mild temperatures alone shouldn’t necessarily break down this crust on Sunday, but a shot of strong sun could. Either way, if the snow surface becomes wet and less supportable, start looking for the first signs of wet avalanche instability like rollerballs and very small avalanches.

Also of note is that on rare occasions, sharp cool downs are suspected of producing avalanches on slopes holding wet snow.  One such avalanche occurred on the west side of the range overnight Friday. In some parts of the forecast zone the snow is still wet and unconsolidated below the surface crust. The biggest take-home point is don't set up camp below steep, open slopes if you are out for the night.

Precipitation amounts around the forecast zone have varied from 0.4” to 1.4” since the 26th, with the highest amounts found along or just east of the crest of the Cascades. The other factor determining the quantity of new snow is elevation. If you are going to get really high on Sunday, look for some significant differences in new snow depths for every 1000’ you gain in elevation. 

If you get out into the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation here. 

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