Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger on Saturday will be related to the incoming snow overnight and during the day. Triggering avalanches will be likely in recently wind drifted snow near treeline and above treeline. Triggering avalanches in the new storm snow will also be possible anywhere the wind has not stripped new snow away. Hedge your bets by avoiding wind loaded slopes. Steep, convex, and unsupported terrain features are the places where you are more likely to trigger an avalanche. Keep an eye on the terrain around and below you; terrain traps such as rocks, cliffs, and trees can increase the consequences of getting in an avalanche. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    On Friday, I found old wind slabs to be stubborn to non reactive. The current wind slab problem will arise from incoming snow overnight and on Saturday. The strong wind forecasted overnight will move a lot of snow. Wind slabs could end up in unusual places and farther down slopes than normal. It is easy to get fatigued/desensitized to this problem with day in day out wind slabs in the forecast. Stay sharp and use careful evalutation before committing to lee features where blowing snow gets deposited. Monitor the depth of new wind slabs. Deeper slabs can generally produce larger avalanches. Signs of unstable snow such as shooting cracks or previous avalanches are indicators that you can trigger an avalanche. Remember, you can always avoid wind loades slopes if you have uncertainty about the stability.

    With sustained winds moving a lot of snow overnight, select areas "below treeline" can also have wind slab conditions. Dead forests and areas of sparse trees are the places to keep an eye on. 

    Archive Photo: Aaron Hartz

    Shooting cracks in wind slabs are good indicators of an unstable snow situation. If you get this feedback, back off to lower angle or non wind loaded terrain.

  • Storm Slabs

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

    The old storm layers are now mostly nonreactive. The storm slab problem will be directly related to the new snow coming in overnight and during the day. Large storm slab avalanches will be a stretch on Saturday but could happen if we get the high end of the forecasted snow totals. Most storm slab avalanches will be small but even small avalanches can move long distances and pack a punch especially in sustained steep terrain. Utilize small test slopes to check for reactivity in the storm slab before moving into steep and committing terrain. Be cautious around and above terrain traps such as rocks, cliffs, trees, and constricted gullies.....these features can increase the consequence of getting caught in an avalanche. 

Avalanche Discussion

Continue to be cautious around cornices. Many ridgetops on the north and east aspects have large overhanging cornices. Stepping out onto a cornice may cause it to break leading to a fall onto the slope below.

Low elevation areas around Santiam Pass could get some rain in the afternoon. If the rain is heavy, wet loose and wet slab avalanches will be possible.

Regions covered