Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

With sunshine on tap for Tuesday be ready for wet loose avalanches on very steep sunny slopes at upper elevations.  Even small avalanches may run further than you'd expect where you find a few inches of recent snow over a thick crust.  Don’t let one of these small avalanches knock you off your feet or sled and over cliffs, dense trees or rocks. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    If you find wet punchy snow, see rollerballs/pinwheels or observe natural wet loose avalanches, it's time to change aspects.  Steer clear of very steep terrain on sunny aspects especially near terrain traps like cliffs, or above areas with exposed obstacles.  Small wet loose avalanches could run further than you expect above a stout crust.  Higher elevation terrain especially near the Cascade crest has the most recent snow (still just a few inches) that may become entrained in a wet loose slide. 

    You may see scenes like this on Tuesday as the sun comes out and temperatures rise; small wet loose avalanches shedding off cliffs.

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

Tuesday should be a beautiful day to be out and about in the mountains.  The storm on Sunday night and Monday brought far more wind than snow to the East South.  Closer to the Cascade crest you may find a few inches of new snow at upper elevations. Middle and lower elevations danced between light rain and snow and it's unlikely there's much in the way of new snowfall.   

The stout Early February Crust (EFC) formed essentially a “new ground” for avalanches to run on and put to bed all the lingering persistent weak layers in the mid and lower snowpack. How deep is the EFC? That depends on where you are in the zone. Closer to the crest, it may be 6-8 inches below the surface. Further east, it may be the surface.  The last atmospheric river event really took a toll on the snowpack around the zone. Expect very thin (or even non-existent) snowpacks at lower elevations and on some steep southerly slopes. Unfortunately, we’re still talking about travel hazards. Slick crusts, exposed obstacles, open creeks, and bare ground continue to make travel more adventurous.

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