Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

This storm is all about the winds. Look out for pillow-like slabs below areas of blowing snow, sharp drifts, and textured surfaces.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong winds should easily build fresh slabs in the classic places along exposed ridges, in the tops of chutes, and near the base of cliffs. Given the strength of the winds and the shifting directions, you may also see them along the side of mid-slope gullies. Expect these slabs to grow bigger as the day continues. 

    Fortunately, they should be forming in front of you and a bit easier to identify. Blowing snow shows local wind patterns and clearly highlight loaded slopes. Additionally, sharp drifts and textured surfaces also point toward possible wind slabs. 

    Many of the recently identified weak snow surfaces exist lower in the terrain and in sheltered areas. However, if you find the intersection of old weak snow and fresh wind slabs, they could trigger easily or in surprising ways.

    (11/21/2023)

    Example: Blowing snow and sharp drifts along ridgelines help point toward wind loaded slopes. 

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

While this isn’t a particularly big storm for the East North zone, it should bring several inches of new snow and an extended period of stronger winds. With the bulk of the precipitation occurring during the day, expect conditions to change quickly. If you’re out first thing in the morning, it might not seem too dangerous, but as more snow falls and the winds continue, that could change. 

This new snow will fall on a variety of old surfaces, but two seem more prominent. Surface hoar was seen particularly on shaded aspects. In steeper, more southerly terrain, a surface crust likely formed. This small storm could quickly cap these layers. As you travel, take note of where they survived by using small hand pits.

Similarly, older layers of buried surface hoar and the 12/10 crust (below ~6000ft) may be found slightly deeper in the snowpack. The prominent 12/7 atmospheric rain crust continues to be an excellent snowpack marker for tracking variations in the upper snowpack across the terrain.

Regions covered