East Slopes North

Our springtime weather will end abruptly with increasing winds, decreasing temperatures, and minimal avalanche concerns. If traveling in complex, aggressive terrain at upper elevations, there is an unlikely chance of triggering a small avalanche in isolated pockets of wind-drifted snow. So, use normal caution, practice good travel techniques, and frequently assess conditions.

Even with the increasing winds on Thursday, there just isn't much snow left to drift around. So, any wind slabs should be small and very isolated. Use caution below ridgelines, near rocky chutes, and steep unsupported leeward slopes where you see deeper drifts of wind-affected snow.  If you see shooting cracks or recent avalanches, steer around similar wind-loaded slopes. 

Mid-mountain and upper elevation temperatures inched above freezing Monday and took a bigger step on Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the mid-30s to mid-40s. Thursday will usher in much colder temperatures, windy conditions at upper elevations, and the potential for a dusting of snow closer to the crest. Southerly slopes now have a melt-freeze crust from the past few days of sunny, warm temperatures. We expect more hazards from challenging conditions on breakable crusts than avalanche concerns. Lower elevations were spared the warm-up due to strong inversions, and you might find softer snow conditions in the valleys than in upper elevations.  

Before this stretch of dry weather, snow from last weekend fell on a firm crust (south-facing) or weak facets and surface hoar (shaded slopes).  Even at the Cascade crest, where we saw slightly higher snow totals, there wasn't enough new snow for this new interface (1/10) to be overly problematic.  On Saturday, observers reported triggering two small wind slab avalanches in Varden Creek and Willow Creek, both roughly NW, 6,500ft. 

If you're out in the mountains,  share what you see and submit an observation.