Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Hazard will increase during the day as new snow falls and gets blown around by strengthening wind. Particularly near the Cascade Crest, look for signs that wind-drifted snow might be unstable, such as blowing snow, uneven snow surfaces, and a change to denser-feeling surfaces. Steer around slopes with these features, especially if you experience shooting cracks or recent avalanches.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Lingering, older wind slabs will generally be the only hazard to look out for in the morning on Friday throughout the zone. Although much more stubborn, these slabs could be deep enough to bury you should you trigger one. You can recognize where these might lurk by feeling for noticeably stiffer surfaces in wind-loaded terrain that sound hollow or drum-like.

    Fresh wind slabs will form in areas closer to the Cascade Crest as the day progresses. These will be soft and small, but more sensitive. At middle elevations, they could form on slick crusts created by previous warming. Actively blowing snow will be your best clue to identifying where new slabs are forming. Textured snow surfaces, cornice development, and scoured surfaces on the side of slopes facing the wind can also clue you in to where both new and old slabs might be. Wind slabs generally form just below ridgelines and along gully walls, often referred to as cross loading. 

    (12/18/2025)

    A small intentionally triggered wind slab from last week in the Mt. Hood zone. This exposed terrain is typical for wind slab formation.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

Other than telemetry data, we have no snowpack information for the zone. The Bumping Lake Weather station (4600 ft) shows a snow depth of 23 inches with 4.1 inches of SWE (snow water equivalent). The Green Lake weather station (5920 ft) does not track snow depth but shows 8 inches of SWE. We can infer that there is approximately twice as much snow at middle elevations than lower elevations. You'll likely find a cohesive slab of snow over a prominent crust from the warm-up on 12/18. Observations from the nearby East Central zone point to a good bond between the slab and crust, but multiple avalanches observed recently in the nearby West South zone indicate the opposite.

As the forecast region experiences a nice cooling trend, anticipate new snow falling on a variety of surfaces. Lower-elevation snow is likely to have been rained on occasionally over the last couple of days. Middle elevations may have seen some rain as well. If old surfaces that had been wetted had a chance to refreeze before burial, they could serve as prime sliding surfaces.

To mitigate this increased uncertainty in the forecast due to a lack of on the ground information, make frequent observations using quick hand-pit tests and take extra time before entering larger or more complex terrain. In typical Cascade fashion, expect higher snow totals and increased hazard closer to White Pass, Bumping Lake, and Chinook Pass.

Lower elevations are most likely still quite shallow, making skiing or riding off the road tricky. Watch for shallowly buried rocks, trees, and high-flowing creeks. These hazards can appreciably increase the consequences of getting caught in even a small avalanche. Furthermore, accessing terrain can be quite arduous due to widespread damage from recent atmospheric river events. Be prepared to be turned around due to road closures, washouts, mudslides, or downed trees.

State and local resources are working diligently to reduce the impacts of destructive storms that occurred earlier this month. We can help by respecting affected communities, complying with road closures, and adhering to ski area uphill travel policies.

If you head out into the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting an observation here.

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