Avalanche forecast

Newberry

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

There is a lot of new snow throughout the Monument, and it will be possible to trigger an avalanche in this new snow.  On slopes that have deeper wind blown snow, avalanches are likely and could easily be large enough to bury or injure a rider.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Be wary of any steep slope that the wind has blown snow onto.  These slopes are most often found up high in the terrain: below ridgelines, particularly beneath cornices, and even behind rock features and groups of trees.  The open obsidian flows are also a place for the wind to gather snow and then dump it along the edges.  On Friday, I observed very deep drifts with more consolidated snow overlaying weaker snow.  This will be a good weekend to identify these problem slopes and avoid them.

  • Storm Slabs

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

    On Friday morning, I observed an upside down snowpack with heavier, more consolidated snow over weaker, lighter snow.  This is a textbook scenario for Storm Slab avalanches and was likely driven by rising temperatures on Thursday night as the snow was falling.  Friday's Storm Slabs will have begun to stabilize by Saturday but could still be reactive.  More snow is in the forecast for Friday night creating the potential for new shallow Storm Slab avalanches.  This avalanche character is most prevalent on steep, unsupported slopes.  Some of my favorite techniques for assessing the potential for Storm Slabs include: riding over very steep, small test slopes (not big enough to hurt you), as well as hand shears (see video from Friday morning).

Regions covered