Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

An easterly wind event will bring light snow and build stiff slabs of wind-drifted snow where you could trigger an avalanche. Most avalanches will likely be small but could form on weak or slick surfaces and be sensitive to triggers. Look for actively blowing snow and textured drifts to identify and avoid wind-loaded slopes. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds picked up and switched to easterly on Monday afternoon. While there isn't much snow available for transport, the soft snow lingering on northern aspects will drift into wind slabs. A few inches of new snow may also add to this problem later in the day. These fresh wind slabs will form over various surfaces, including slick crusts and weak, faceted snow, so they could be quite sensitive to triggering. While none of these avalanches are likely to be large, don't let your guard down in terrain where getting knocked off your feet could have significant consequences. Alpine terrain may be unpleasant with the strong winds in the forecast, and it is also the most likely place to encounter wind slab problems. Look for actively drifting snow, textured surfaces, and "fat" looking drifts to identify steep slopes to avoid. Warning signs such as shooting cracks are bullseye evidence that the snow is unstable. 

    (3/16/2023)

    Blowing snow off of ridges, like in this photo, are a sign that fresh wind slabs may be forming. 

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

This past week has felt a bit like spring, but you should prepare for a return to winter over the next couple of days. This wintery weather means that you should focus on cold, dry avalanche problems instead of spring warming and wet avalanche concerns. This past week hasn't produced much precipitation in the eastern part of the Cascades. However, we have seen a decent bit of wind and quite a lot of sunshine. Other than isolated reports of small wind slabs and wet loose avalanches, there also hasn't been much avalanche activity or other signs of unstable snow. Southern aspects and lower elevations have thick crusts on the surface in most locations, while true north aspects still hold soft, recycled powder that is beginning to weaken and become faceted. 

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. 

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