Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Merry Christmas! Santa is bringing us some fresh snow, which will lead to an increasing chance of avalanches by the afternoon. You could trigger shallow slabs in wind-drifted snow near ridges. Look for textured surfaces or deeper pillows of snow to identify steep, wind-loaded slopes to navigate around. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A welcome return of snow to the Cascades is the perfect Christmas present. It's not much, but moderate snowfall and winds will increase the likelihood of triggering wind slabs by the afternoon on Monday. Consider steering around steep terrain if you see actively drifting snow or long cracks that shoot away from you. You can also use visual clues like sharp wind drifts and stiffer snow surfaces to identify potentially wind loaded slopes. Most of the zone will pick up 3-4 inches of snow. Higher accumulations are possible on the western edge, and wind slabs may be larger in areas east of Stevens Pass and Salmon La Sac. Slick crusts, surface hoar, and weak snow surfaces are prevalent, so new snow could bond poorly with old snow surfaces. Use quick hand pits or test slopes to see how the snow reacts. New snow that slides easily off old surfaces indicates that avalanches are more likely. 

    (12/23/2023)

    These textured surfaces are a good indication that wind slabs exist on this slope.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

It's a Christmas miracle! We are entering into a more active weather pattern that looks snowy, at least for the east slopes. The storm ramps up through the day on Monday and continues overnight into Tuesday. It's not packing a lot of moisture, but hopefully, we end up with 5-10" of new snow throughout East Central. The cold air pooled east of the Cascades should maintain the precipitation as snow. While the forecast is favorable, there is potential for mixed precipitation by Tuesday afternoon. 

New snow will fall on a mix of melt freeze crusts, sometimes capped with surface hoar or a thin layer of weak snow on shaded or sheltered slopes. These weak or slick surfaces may become problematic when loaded with new snow. So, observe the old snow interface as you travel to see how well the new snow bonds to the old snow surface. 

The mid-pack is mostly strong rounded grains and melt forms. A crust/weak snow sandwich in the upper snowpack may also be worth tracking as new snow adds up. 

New snow will help coverage overall but can also bury obstacles, leaving them lurking just below the surface. With plenty of brush to contend with off the trails, exposed boulder fields, and rocks on many slopes, consider using summer trails or roads to access higher elevations. 

You can contribute to the forecast! Let us know what you found by submitting an observation HERE. 

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