Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

A cold spring storm will bring snow and strong winds. You could trigger avalanches in wind drifted snow on steep slopes below ridgelines. Areas near the Cascade Crest will receive significantly more snow, and avalanches could be larger. Actively blowing snow, recent avalanches, or cracking are signs to steer around steep slopes. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slabs are most likely to form at mid and upper elevations on lee slopes below ridgelines and confined rocky features. Good indicators of wind-loaded slopes include blowing snow, cornice formations, and textured surfaces. You can use small test slopes to observe how the snow reacts.  Cracking or snow sliding easily as a slab are signs that you could trigger an avalanche on a larger, steep slope.  Choosing slopes that are sheltered from the wind or lower-angle terrain in wind-exposed locations are good travel options to avoid avalanches. 

    In most of the zone, avalanches are likely to be small, but areas like Salmon La Sac could see double the snow totals, making larger avalanches much more likely.  Even the consequences of a small slide could be high if you were knocked off your feet or pushed into rocks or trees. On steep, sheltered terrain, dry loose avalanches could run easily on icy, old surfaces. 

    (4/2/2026)

    These long cracks are a bulleyes sign of unstable wind slabs. 

    Photo: Payton Schiff

  • Loose Wet

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

    Conditions change rapidly with daytime warming and strong sunshine. The forecast isn't clear on how much sun we can expect on Wednesday, but it won't take much for wet avalanches to become a problem. If you start to notice rollerballs, trees shedding snow, or small natural wet loose avalanches, it's a good idea to move to shadier or lower-angle slopes. These avalanches tend to be more predictable than slab avalanches, but they can pick up a lot of mass as they move downhill. Make sure you're not exposed to snow sliding off rocks from above, and avoid stopping where your partners could push wet snow down towards you. Temperatures could be down in the teens by Wednesday morning, so we don't expect wet avalanches to involve any of the older snow. 

    (2/28/2024)

    Rollerballs and pinwheels are the first signs of wet avalanche problems. 

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

We'll enjoy a brief return of winter on Wednesday with a storm that could bring up to 2-8" of snow, with the higher amounts limited to areas close to the Crest. Winds will be strong during the bulk of the storm and remain moderate throughout the day. Rapidly cooling temperatures are favorable, but given the limited access at this time of year, we have minimal information about old snow surfaces. You can use quick hand pits while traveling to assess this new interface. If snow slides easily, avalanches are more likely. 

Given limited observations, we have a fair amount of uncertainty heading into this storm. With mild temperatures and a cooling trend, we expect a favorable bond to underlying surfaces, but we don't have much information from upper elevations. If you're traveling into upper elevation terrain, assess this new interface frequently before committing to consequential terrain. Despite our uncertainty, after this long spell of warm, dry weather, we don't have concerns with deeper layers in the snowpack. An NWAC forecaster near Mission Ridge found shallow, discontinuous snow at upper elevations, although there was enough for recreation. Surfaces were supportable, and there is a mix of wet snow and melt-freeze crusts in the upper snowpack. 

The meager winter hasn't left much of a snowpack at lower elevations, and sunny aspects like west and south slopes are looking bare well into the mid-elevations. Consider packing trail shoes for traveling over dry ground to reach a more robust snowpack at upper elevations. 

Regions covered