Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

You may find dangerous avalanche conditions at upper elevations on Saturday. Steer around pockets of wind drifted snow, especially if you notice more than 6 inches of new snow or active loading. Default to lower angle or more sheltered slopes to avoid this avalanche problem. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and a dose of strong west winds will build pockets of wind drifted snow at mid and upper elevations. These slabs will likely be the largest and most reactive in areas that receive more than 6 inches of snow. 

    You’ll typically find these slabs on the leeward side of ridges, below cornices, or under cliff & rock bands. Using visual clues such as blowing snow or looking for wind textured slabs will help you identify slopes of concern. Shooting cracks under your machine or feet are obvious signs of instability. The best strategy to avoid this problem will be sticking to more sheltered slopes out of the wind zone. 

    Avoid pockets of snow that look rounded or textured like this.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The East South is in for a wintery couple of days despite the date on the calendar. The storm is forecast to favor the west slopes and volcanoes, however the east south should still get a decent shot of precipitation (likely 4-8 inches). The uncertainty will be cloud forecast, especially during the afternoon hours. Since its April, it won't take much for the sun to weaken the snow surface on sunny slopes. So if this does occur, keep an eye out for rollerballs or small wet loose avalanches on steep solars. Consider steering around similar aspects if you notice these signs. 

At mid and upper elevations, a deep and layered winter snowpack exists. If you dig down, you will find older layers of melt-freeze crusts from around Christmas, MLK, and Valentine's day. These layers are not a concern for avalanches at this time but are a reminder that we have not transitioned to a spring snowpack quite yet. For more information about the deeper snowpack, check out Katie’s observation from Ahtanum Meadows this past week.

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