Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Wind slab avalanches will be possible to trigger. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully and identify wind loaded features.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    There is an abundance of soft snow that is available for wind transport, along with a few inches of new snow coming in Friday night and Saturday. Although the wind is backing off a little, wind slabs may continue to build.

    The potential for wind slab avalanches to become large exists in select pockets of terrain.

    Wind slabs often form below ridge tops, high points, and around featurs that catch blowing snow. Look for visual signs such as pillows of wind difted snow, and a wavy or uneven surface texture to indicate a surface may be wind loaded. Recently formed cornices can also be clues that wind slabs are present.

    If you encounter signs of windloaded snow or observe cracking in the surface slab, move to lower angle slopes under 30 degrees.

Avalanche Discussion

There could be some very small loose dry avalanches out there anywhere the snow is not wind affected, but they will generaly not be big enough to be a problem.

On Friday, several natural and skier triggered small dry loose avalanches were spotted on a northeast aspect near treeline and below treeline. A very small skier triggered wind slab was reported on a north facing slope near treeline. Cracking was also observed on small windloaded test slopes (NE, near treeline, see picture).

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