East Slopes Central

Expect some light snow and ridgeline winds on Tuesday. It won't quite be enough to increase the danger significantly but watch for signs of instability in isolated pockets of wind-drifted snow. Stick to lower-angle slopes if you observe shooting cracks or whumphing collapses. 

As we welcome a return to wintery weather, expect 1-2 inches of snow by Tuesday afternoon, along with moderate to strong winds. There isn't much soft snow on the ground to drift. But reports of isolated wind slabs at upper elevations continue to trickle in, and small amounts of new snow may add depth to these lingering slabs. Use caution in those typical spots where wind slabs form, such as below corniced ridges, the base of cliffs, and confined gullies or couloirs. You can use quick hand pits or small test slopes to see how the snow reacts. If slabs of snow slide easily in these tests, avalanches are more likely. 

An observer triggered a small pocket of wind slab on a lee aspect on 12/31, and Mission Ridge Ski Patrol triggered small wind slabs with explosives on 12/30. These avalanches occurred at upper elevations in wind-loaded northerly terrain and were 8-16" deep, failing on a weak layer above the mid-December melt-freeze crust. With fresh snow and wind, we may see a few more of these types of avalanches. So, ease into alpine terrain slowly and identify likely wind slab locations using visual clues like cornices, textured surfaces, and pillow-like drifts. Keep your terrain selection conservative if you see cracks shooting away from you or your equipment or hear loud audible collapses. 

NWAC forecasters and observers have found a weak upper snowpack structure near Blewett Pass, Mission Ridge, Dirtyface Mountain, and Holden. The 12/19 crust/facet layer and some buried surface hoar layers have produced unstable snowpack test results. While we are tracking the development of this weak structure, there is no significant avalanche hazard until we receive some additional snow.

The snow cover is still shallow. You may encounter exposed creeks, rocks, and logs at lower and middle elevations. 

If you get out, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation!