Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Ongoing warm temperatures and strong sun will maintain a threat of wet avalanches on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Time your travel to be off of and out from under sun-exposed slopes before the snow becomes wet and weak. Use caution around cornices and wind features, especially near the Cascade Crest.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Wet avalanches will first be active on the east aspects and later on the west aspects. As you move through the mountains, take note of how much the surface snow has frozen or melted.  You may find dramatically different conditions at different aspects or elevations and as the day progresses. Plan ahead and be ready to move to slopes that are shaded or under 35 degrees. Move off of steep slopes before the snow is unsupportive and weak enough to entrain an avalanche.

    Tuesday will be the third day in a slow and ongoing wet loose avalanche cycle. There's still enough dry snow available to produce avalanches especially at mid to upper elevations and on northeast and northwest aspects. East wind may be enough to keep surfaces cool especially mid to upper elevations. 

    (4/11/2021) Natural wet avalanches ran in very steep, east-facing terrain. Stevens Pass zone

Avalanche Discussion

At the Cascade Crest, there's a chance that you may be able to trigger small wind slab avalanches on leeward sides of ridges where slopes are steeper than 35 degrees. Avoid thickly loaded leeward slopes and steer around unsupported and wind-sculpted features. Cornices loom over some ridgelines and may fall during the warm days this week. Glide cracks have again begun to open in steep rocky terrain. Use extra caution to avoid being on or under features with glide cracks and cornices. 

On Sunday, an observer near Colchuck Lake reported wind-scoured slopes at upper elevations with only isolated and shallow drifted slabs. On Sunday and Monday, observers reported numerous wet loose avalanches in the neighboring Stevens Pass zone.  At Snoqualmie Pass, a skier was injured on April 10th after getting caught in a wind slab avalanche that ran on a layer of weak snow. While the same weak layer hasn't been observed in this zone, it's worth keeping an eye out for it. If you travel to upper elevations, look for hard-over-soft layering 1-2 feet below the snow surface on cold, shaded slopes. 

The last two days brought mixed sun and clouds and slowly warming temperatures. Storm totals since the 7th are 10-18" near the Cascade Crest. Lower recent snow totals in eastern portions of the zone may limit avalanche hazard in areas such as the Wenatchee Mountains. There was a brief warm-up and wet avalanche cycle on the 8-9th. Many northerly slopes hold a mostly dry snowpack with a handful of crusts in the top 3-5 feet.  On east through south through west aspects, the upper snowpack consists of melt forms in various states of being melted or frozen. 

The lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled, although a layer of facets associated with a crust from mid-January can be found 2-6 feet below the surface. This layer has been dormant for about a month but it could produce avalanches with future warming events.

If you're in the mountains, help us keep up with the quickly changing spring conditions by submitting an observation here. 

Regions covered