Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
No rating
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

An approaching spring storm may bring an uptick in avalanche danger in upper elevation, wind-loaded terrain on Tuesday. Expect wind-drifted pockets to become increasingly more sensitive to a human or machine's weight as snowfall starts to trickle into the mountains. Be ready for a high price of admission to find continuous snow in this zone.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Increasing snowfall and strong SW winds will build a fresh batch of shallow wind slabs throughout the day, which will continue to grow through the evening hours. These slabs will likely be more isolated, but they could trigger easily off windy ridgelines when they’re freshly formed. Look for blowing snow, wind-textured pillows, and sharp cornices and drifts to help you identify where wind slabs are building. 

    Tuesday will be a good day to closely track new snow accumulations and the extent of wind loading as you move into the wind zone. Choose simpler terrain if you notice active heavy drifting or shooting cracks under your skis or feet.

    (1/3/2026)

    Visual clues of recent wind loading and 'fat' pillow-like slabs.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

The avalanche danger will start low and progress to moderate in windy alpine terrain, where a couple of inches of new snow will combine with strong winds to create sensitive slabs by late day. Look for a sharper rise in hazard during the evening hours as snowfall and winds increase.

Observations have been sparse in this zone, and for good reason. Based on recent observations from the nearby West South and East Central, we suspect new snow will bond well to the old wet snow surfaces that exist across the range. Moving forward, we'll be mostly concerned about avalanches failing within the new snow or at the old snow surface. The lower and mid snowpack is generally strong, wet, and isothermal-like thanks to recent temperature fluctuations. 

Unfortunately, new snowfall won’t do much to improve coverage, since much of the zone is bare ground below 5000 ft. Continue to expect widespread low snow coverage and a plethora of travel hazards. 

The prolonged warm spell in March decimated the already struggling East South snowpack. Below 5,000 ft, snow coverage is too limited for avalanche danger at this time—so we’re issuing a No Rating for lower elevations. You can still find rideable snow at middle and upper elevations.

Are you heading out into the mountains?  Let us know what you see by submitting an observation here or on the AvyApp.

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