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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 29th, 2019–Mar 30th, 2019
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Cascades - North East.

Expect increasing clouds and quickly changing snow surfaces for Saturday. Loose wet avalanches may become possible by the later half of the day, and lingering wind slabs may be found on high elevation, shaded aspects. 

Discussion

No new avalanche activity was observed by WSDOT road crews working on Highway 20 on Friday. With a clear morning and light winds, Saturday should start out as a very nice day. Building clouds and showers in the afternoon may obscure visibility and change things quickly. Low danger doesn't mean no danger, and be sure to consider all the mountain hazards. Even a small loose wet avalanche or a wind slab may have serious consequences depending on terrain. You may be most likely to trigger a wet loose avalanche the later part of the day and at lower elevations. Be mindful of the overnight refreeze, and how solid the surface crust is. The mild temperatures may only allow for weak overnight refreezes and a surface crust that breaks down early in the day. 

Snow surfaces are primarily melt freeze crusts in the morning on east to south to west aspects, but high elevation, north aspects still harbor a mostly dry snowpack. At uppermost elevations in the shade, you may still run into wind slabs leftover from the 26th.

Wet slab avalanches, glide avalanches, cornice and ice/rock fall may present significant hazard depending on your location. Creeks and lake inlets and outlets are beginning to open up and the low elevation snow coverage is melting away. Check out the new Regional Synopsis for a discussion on Peak Snowpack, Spring Strategy, and Scale of Loose Wet Avalanches. 

Wind textured snow on Mt. Cashmere in adjacent East Central Forecast Zone. March 26, 2019.

Cornice hanging over a rocky ridge at 7,500ft in adjacent East Central Forecast Zone. March 27, 2019.

Snowpack Discussion

Snow and Avalanche Discussion:

No new activity was reported by the WSDOT road crews on Hwy 20 on Friday. With a clear morning and light winds, Saturday should start out as a very nice day. Building clouds and showers in the afternoon may obscure visibility and change things quickly. You may be most likely to trigger a wet loose avalanche the later part of the day on southerly aspects and at lower elevations. Be mindful of the overnight refreeze, and how solid the surface crust is. The mild temperatures may only allow for weak overnight refreezes and a surface crust that breaks down early in the day. 

Snow surfaces are primarily melt freeze crusts in the morning on east to south to west aspects, but high elevation, north aspects still harbor a mostly dry snowpack. At uppermost elevations in the shade, you may still run into wind slabs leftover from the 26th.

Wet slab avalanches, glide avalanches, cornice and ice/rock fall may present significant hazard depending on your location. Creeks and lake inlets and outlets are beginning to open up and the low elevation snow coverage is melting away. Check out the new Regional Synopsis for a discussion on Peak Snowpack, Spring Strategy, and Scale of Loose Wet Avalanches. 

Wind textured snow on Mt. Cashmere in adjacent East Central Forecast Zone. March 26, 2019.

Cornice hanging over a rocky ridge at 7,000ft in the Stuart Range, adjacent East Central Forecast Zone. March 27, 2019.