Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Warming temperatures and full sun may create loose avalanches on steep sun-exposed slopes.  Watch signs of danger such as rollerballs and snow surfaces melting and becoming weak. You may still be able to trigger slab avalanches in areas of wind-drifted snow near and above treeline.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Watch for triggered and natural avalanches on steep, sun-exposed slopes, especially near rocky features. Natural avalanches could come from steep overhead slopes. Monitor these areas for signs of instability like rollerballs or other fresh avalanches. Another indicator is the sun melting the surface snow. Areas near Mission Ridge and closest to the Cascade crest are of most concern. Time your travel and give yourself options to avoid steep slopes once they've received prolonged sun.

    There's uncertainty around exactly how much the surface snow will warm and where that will occur. Cold temperatures, wind, or clouds could all keep wet loose avalanches at bey. Snow surfaces may stay cold enough to limit avalanches on higher elevation slopes

    Very small loose slide. Harding Mtn, SW, 6800ft. Photo: Matt Primomo

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Use caution on wind-exposed slopes 35 degrees and steeper and just below ridges. You can stay safe by steering around pillows of wind-drifted snow and by sticking to lower angled or wind-sheltered slopes. Wind slab avalanches are most likely at the highest elevations where drifts will be more consistent and could be deeper.  Pay attention as you move into wind-exposed terrain higher in the mountains. Watch for cracks in the snow and stiffer, sculpted surfaces as indicators of wind slab avalanches.

    Easterly winds formed drifts on Tuesday and possibly again on Thursday. Wind loading patterns may be more terrain dependant, closer to the Cascade crest. Older drifted slabs from Tuesday may be difficult to trigger.

    (2/23/2022)

    Cracking in skin track SE at 6800ft. Fortune Creek Drainage.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

NWAC forecasters traveled in Fortune Creek on Thursday. They found a lot of wind-textured snow on all aspects near and above treeline. Slabs were generally small (4-12" thick) and stubborn, but in isolated locations, slabs were up to 1.5 ft thick. They observed cracking snow surfaces up to 6 ft in length from the skin track indicating that these slabs may still be reactive. They found 16" of snow atop the Valentine's day crust that was well bonded on S aspects, but on N and E aspects the crust was variable and breaking down into weaker facets.

On Thursday Mission Ridge picked up 3 inches of snow while much of the zone saw closer to 1 inch. Snow accumulations from the 19-20th tapered quickly from west to east with 20 inches near the Cascade Crest and 5-6 inches at Mission Ridge. Observers reported the snow bonded well to the 2/19 crust.

Regions covered