East Slopes Central

A lack of consistent snow coverage and warm weather has resulted in minimal avalanche potential. Instead, general mountain hazards and travel conditions have taken center stage as the most likely issues you'll face on Sunday. You may find the weakest snow near rocky outcrops or corniced ridgelines.

More typical PNW weather should continue on Sunday, with partial cloud cover and a chance of showers. Expect little change in mountain travel and avalanche conditions compared to recent days.

NWAC forecasters visited Mission Ridge on Saturday and found patchy snow. On slopes with adequate coverage, the surface was supportable but soft due to early-morning rain and daytime warming. The snowpack in these areas mainly consisted of varying degrees of meltforms intermixed with crusts. No new avalanches were observed. 

That seems to be the story throughout much of the East Central, with nuanced differences depending on your location in our geographically diverse zone. Overall, the snowpack is thin, particularly at lower elevations and on sun-exposed slopes. As you get closer to the Cascade Crest or further north in the zone, snow depths generally increase. Anywhere you find continuous snow coverage, the ability to push a small wet loose avalanche can't be ruled out, especially in areas where you can sink into the surface deeper than your ankle. 

We've been talking a fair amount about the overlap between general mountain hazards and avalanches during the spring. Snow clinging to rocky outcrops and cliffs, sagging cornices, and even rockfall are common this time of year as the mountains shed their winter coat. Some blocks of snow will melt in place, while others will shed from rocky ledges as a single unit. The rain could help grease some of these blocks, increasing the likelihood that they will fail in a glide-type occurrence. These isolated events are impossible to predict, but you may want to make travel plans with these low-likelihood, potentially high-consequence hazards in mind.

If you're pushing into the far reaches of the East Central, you put yourself at greater risk of encountering those mountain hazards. You may have to pay a price to reach these areas, however. Access to the mountains remains a challenge due to patchy snow, washed-out roads, and downed trees. Allow yourself extra travel time and bring the right equipment and knowledge to navigate the mountains safely.