Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Another day of above-freezing temperatures, and rising freezing levels make triggering a wet avalanche likely.  These wet snow avalanche problems will exist at all elevations and on all aspects. If you observe rollerballs, pinwheels, or start sinking into the snow- it's time to move away from slopes steeper than 30 degrees.

Today is a great day to stay home and enjoy the nice weather in the valleys.

 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Temperatures stayed above freezing overnight and it could warm to 50 degrees today at 5000'. This makes the surface of the snow very wet and causes it to lose cohesion. When the snow gets too heavy to cling to the slope, or you ride across it can move down the hill.

     If you observe rollerballs, and pinwheels or can feel the surface becoming saturated it's time to avoid avalanche terrain.  A wet loose avalanche may not be big enough to bury or kill you, but could still push you into consequential terrain.  

    Wet Loose debris

  • Wet Slabs

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

    It didn't freeze overnight and daytime temperatures are forecasted to reach 50 degrees- this is a recipe for wet avalanches. Wet Slab avalanches occur when meltwater percolates through the snowpack and lubricates a crust. This lubricated crust becomes the sliding surface for the snow above.  This type of avalanche is very difficult to predict.

     If you are sinking to your boot tops in wet snow, you need to avoid all avalanche terrain.  It's important to determine your entry and exit points and avoid crossing underneath steep terrain late in the day.  

    Wet avalanche debris

  • Cornices

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

    Warming temperatures will strain sagging cornices.  These beasts have grown quite large over the past couple of weeks, and some may reach their tipping point. Use extreme caution as cornices often connect to terrain features much further back than you might expect.  Also, avoid traveling below slopes with cornices above you.  It's nearly impossible to forecast when a cornice might cut loose, but you want to be far away in the event this takes place.  

    Substantial cornice growth has occurred over the past few weeks. Warming temperatures could cause these cornices to fall.

Avalanche Discussion

With temperatures in the mountains forecasted to reach 50 degrees, there will be dangerous avalanche conditions. The snow sliding or snow riding won't be great either. The snow will be heavy and wet and you will likely sink your legs or machine way down into the snowpack. Today is a great day to stay home and enjoy the nice weather in the valleys.

Today is the fifth day of above-freezing temperatures in the Blues.  50-degree temperatures and no freeze overnight make condition perfect for wet avalanches. Rollerballs, pinwheels, wet surface snow, and sinking up to your boot tops in wet snow are all signs wet avalanches are imminent. If you observe these conditions avoid avalanche terrain.

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