Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Expect wet snow instability to increase with daytime warming at mid and lower elevations. In true alpine terrain, the heavy dump of new snow may still produce large avalanches on Saturday. Steer clear of very steep slopes once the snow becomes wet and punchy, and at higher elevations if you find over 10" of new over a weaker interface.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    On Saturday, we'll pick up where we left off with wet snow problems. Wet loose slides could gouge into older snow at lower elevations, and up higher the new snow could churn downhill on a slick crust. Conditions should be more stable first thing in the morning with a weak surface freeze. As the daytime warms and the surface crust melts down, wet instability will slowly rise. Look for rollerballs and recent fan shaped avalanches. If snow is moist and tends to entrain when it runs downhill, then move away from steep slopes.

    (4/7/2023) Example loose wet avalanches from Snoqualmie on Friday. Patrick O'Moore

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You could find lingering instabilities associated with the new snow way up high in the alpine, where it could be deep. Expect to find stronger snow over weaker snow with the warmer, heavy snow over colder, lower density layers or crusts. If you did trigger a slab on the old interface, it could be large and surprising. Look for signs of instability like shooting cracks, whumphing collapses, and recent slab avalanches. Use quick tests and dig down to the new snow/old snow interface to check and see if theres strong over weak layering. 

    Give larger , steep slopes above 6,500ft a healthy amount of respect, especially if you find 10" or more of new snow or signs of instability.

    Example wind slab avalanche from last weekend.

Avalanche Discussion

A warm, wet storm left over an inch of snow water equivalent at Mission Ridge and in the Icicle Thursday night into Friday. Snow levels fluctuated, but in general the new snow sits mostly above 5,000ft. Still, higher elevations may have seen some light rain also. I was able to trigger small, loose wet avalanches below about 5,800ft at Mission Ridge on Friday. These weren't entraining too much of the new snow, but I got the sense that in some areas, perhaps lower elevations they could pack more of a punch.

The snowpack at lower elevations is well on its way to melting out for the year, but higher up it's deep and drier. On northerly aspects above 6,500ft, you could find weaker dry snow beneath the warm, dense storm snow. Many other aspects hold a crust of sorts beneath the recent storm layer.

On Sunday, another warm, wet storm moves in and should continue to escalate wet snow avalanche problems.

Regions covered