Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Wind-loaded slopes could exist in exposed, downwind terrain. Cornices, riming, and rippled snow surfaces indicate previous wind transport, and blowing snow will point toward where slopes are being freshly loaded. Consider steering around steep terrain if you find these features and stick to lower-angle, wind-sheltered slopes if you encounter shooting cracks or collapsing.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Currently, you could find stubborn older slabs just below ridgelines or in cross-loaded gullies and couloirs. Smaller but more recently developed slabs may have formed over surface hoar. Hazard will increase if new snow falls and is blown around by the wind. Anticipate new slab development on lee slopes if you see blowing snow. Hard, uneven snow surfaces, rapid changes in snow depth, and cornices indicate that terrain has seen previous snow transport. Surface hoar often appears as a thin grey line in a snowpit wall; you can dig a quick hand pit to check for it. Signs of instability include shooting cracks, collapsing, and recent slab avalanches

    (12/31/2024)

    Cornice fall triggered a small 1ft deep wind slab avalanche in the East South zone recently.

    Photo: Payton Schiff

Avalanche Discussion

Happy New Year!

For the East South zone, we have uncertainty about two major plot points: the distribution of buried surface hoar and the extent to which a storm system will move northward and impact the zone. A skiff of new snow with generally little wind fell while we passed into 2025 so surface hoar could now be buried in many locations but we lack information to know for certain. The weather should be uneventful for most of the day, but weather models lack alignment. If the snow is falling and the wind is blowing where you are, know that the likelihood of triggering a wind slab avalanche will be increased and it will be harder to identify previous signs of wind transport. Help NWAC forecasters reduce uncertainty by submitting an observation!

If you've ever found yourself wondering which direction you should look for wind loading if you encounter rippled, uneven snow surfaces, the best way I have found to think about it is that the "pointed" ridges of the ripples "point" towards the prevailing wind direction. It is a similar concept to how riming on trees usually happens on the side of the tree facing the wind.

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