Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

An avalanche will be hard to find, but you may encounter isolated pockets of wind loaded snow in higher elevation terrain. Early season hazards could make a small slide have big consequences. Keep an eye out for deeper and stiffer snow surfaces before committing to complex, rocky terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    After gusty wind on Friday, shallow fresh wind slabs may be found in exposed upper elevation terrain. These slabs formed from soft and unconsolidated snow at the surface and could be overlaying slick crusts and older slabs of snow. With early season conditions, consider the consequences of being knocked over by even a small slab. It is unlikely, but not impossible, to trigger an avalanche in older wind slabs as well. These slabs will be deeper and more sensitive at upper elevations.

    You can find wind deposited snow on the downwind side of ridgelines, convexities, and rolling terrain. Rippled, uneven snow surfaces indicate that wind transported snow, and soft, pillowy wind slabs may be lurking nearby. An excellent way to identify areas of concern before you step out into steeper terrain is by stomping on small test slopes. Cracks shooting out from your boots, skis, or sled are clear indicators that you have found an unstable slab.

    (11/27/2024)

    The top of a small, human triggered wind slab avalanche in the Enchantments on Thanksgiving.

    Photo: Lucas Ng

Avalanche Discussion

We are “status quo” with the wind slab problem. Wind speeds have been strong enough to continue moving snow around and build fresh slabs. Observers reported a small skier triggered avalanche in the Enchantments on Thursday. This points to lingering pockets of instability in more complex and exposed terrain. We’ll be unlikely to see any blowing snow on Saturday so use other tools in your toolbox to assess conditions as you move about terrain.

There is still limited information regarding a lot of the East Central zone. The snowpack is variable, making access to a lot of terrain difficult. If you plan on getting back into some far-flung places, be prepared to make your own snowpack assessments.

Especially at lower elevations, an early-season snowpack still exists across the zone. Low tide hazards still abound. In addition to colliding with barely covered hazards like stumps and downed logs, an avalanche can drag you over rocks or push you into open creeks or cliffs. Give yourself time to navigate these early season conditions, no matter your elevation.

We expect to finish out the week with a significant warming trend. The East Central zone will start seeing above freezing temperatures and very clear skies Saturday afternoon. Tune in to the next forecast for more details on changing conditions.

Regions covered