Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

In exposed alpine areas, you may still find lingering pockets where you could trigger an avalanche in wind-drifted snow. Look for textured surfaces and pillow-like drifts to identify and avoid these wind-loaded features. Travel with a springtime mindset and consider moving off steep, sunny slopes by the afternoon to avoid wet avalanches.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    With the recent snow and winds, you could still find pockets of unstable wind slabs at upper elevations. Steep ridgelines, the base of cliffs, and confined alpine features above 6500ft are the most suspect slopes for new and lingering older wind slabs. We expect most wind slabs will be small, but the western edge of the zone had higher snow totals, and avalanches could be larger in these areas. If you see large pillow-like drifts, shooting cracks, or the snow feels hollow beneath you, simply travel on lower-angle slopes or steer around these wind-loaded features.

    (1/5/2023)

    An example of potential areas to trigger lingering wind slabs below ridgelines in confined features. 

    Photo: NWAC Public obs

Avalanche Discussion

We haven't fully transitioned to a spring snowpack at many elevations, and temperatures remain chilly for mid-April. However, at this time of the year, it's a good idea to have a spring diurnal mindset and plan on surfaces becoming moist in warming afternoon temperatures, particularly on sunny slopes. Clouds will likely roll in by the afternoon on Thursday, but springtime cloud forecasts can be tricky. If cloud cover is slow to materialize, we could see some wet loose avalanche activity. The April sun only takes a little time to warm snow surfaces, particularly in areas with fresh snow. We expect any wet loose avalanche activity to be small and isolated to steep, sunny slopes with over a few inches of new snow. There may also be some lingering glide avalanche possible on smooth rock faces. If you see a big frowning glide crack in the snowpack on steep, smooth terrain, give yourself a wide berth around these unpredictable avalanches. 

After a very rainy start to the week, Tuesday brought a welcome cooling and clearing trend for much of the East South zone. Further west, the rain turned to snow and piled up in some locations, particularly near Chinook and White Pass. The Bumping Lake area may have received up to 3-4" of new snow, while there was probably only 1-2" at Ahtanum Meadows. Overnight temperatures dropped into the teens on Tuesday night, forming a thick crust on surfaces at mid and lower elevations. The recent rain and warm temperatures changed the landscape a bit, and you can expect challenging travel and lots of bare ground at lower-elevation trailheads. 

Regions covered