Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

A rain on snow event on Thursday destabilized the upper snowpack layer and mild temps have kept the snowpack from refreezing. Wet loose avalanches in terrain steeper than 35 degrees are possible today, especially where provoked by a rider. Look for signs of wet loose avalanches such as pin wheels, roller balls, and fan shaped small point releases.  Avoid terrain where even a small wet loose avalanche could knock you off of your feet and carry you over consequential terrain such as a cliff, or into a gully or groupings of trees.  

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Over an inch of rain fell onto the snow in the Northern Blues on Thursday.  This caused the upper snowpack to lose strength.  Cold temps overnight have allowed the snowpack to refreeze. The question is how far down did it freeze in the snowpack. This could be dependant on your location and elevation. The mild weather today and through the weekend will bring out the sunshine and this could cause south-facing slopes > 35 degrees to become unstable. If you step off of your machine or out of your boards and sink up to your ankles in wet cohesionless snow, wet loose avalanches are likely in that area and you should avoid terrain steeper than 35 degrees.  Temperatures are forecasted to remain warm through the weekend - so this problem is likely to persist, especially on steep south-facing slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

The Blues received over an inch of rain on Thursday. This destabilized the upper snowpack. Cold temps overnight have refrozen the upper snowpack, but the question today will be how far down into the snowpack did it freeze. On shady slopes the refreeze may persist through the day, but on slopes facing the sun, mostly southern exposures, the snow surface may soften and become unstable in the afternoon. If out recreating this weekend pay attention to whether the snow surface is supportable or whether you are sinking down on your sled or skis. If you are sinking into the snow above your ankles, seeing roller balls or pinwheels moving down the slope, then you should move off those slopes and seek out lower angle terrain. 

Please submit any observations or pictures you have from your mountain travels here.  

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