Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

April Fools! We're not done with winter weather yet. You could find dangerous avalanche conditions as you go up in elevation, where wind slabs are thicker and more reactive. The new snow should provide a nice soft canvas, but stick to lower angled slopes higher up, especially if finding signs of instability such as shooting cracks and deep drifts.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    New snow along with strong ridgeline winds should create fresh new wind slabs. Mountains in the western half of the zone could gain upwards of a foot of new snow, with less further east. In these areas wind slabs could be thicker, larger, and more dangerous. Look for signs of recent and active wind transport as you gain elevation, especialy as you near ridgelines and cornices. Look and feel for stiffer, cohesive snow. Heed signs of instability such as long shooting cracks and other recent avalanches if you see them. Be wary of steep slopes below cornices, off ridgelines, and near rocks and cliffs.

    Below treeline and outside of wind affected areas, you might still be able to trigger avalanches in the new storm snow, but they're likely to be soft and small. 

    Active wind transport is a sign that windslabs could be forming.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

An incoming winter storm should freshen up old, mostly firm and wind battered or frozen crust surfaces. Expect more dangerous conditions further south and west in the zone, and at higher elevations where the wind should continue to create instabilities through the day on Saturday. The sun could poke out during the day, if it does look for moistening snow surfaces. If your in an area with more than a few inches of new snow, then expect small wet loose avalanches to become possible.

At mid and upper elevations, a deep and layered winter snowpack exists. If you dig down, you will find older layers of melt-freeze crusts from around Christmas, MLK, and Valentine's day and a layer of surface hoar buried on January 4th. These layers are not a concern for avalanches at this time but are another reminder that we have not transitioned to a spring snowpack quite yet. 

Regions covered