Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The storm arriving today will add more snow to a weak snowpack. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist throughout the mountains. Careful snowpack evaluation, route finding and conservative decision-making are essential.

This forecast is sponsored by CB Construction.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    There are multiple layers of weak snow buried in the snowpack.  These weak layers are persistent and easily triggered. It is posible to trigger an avalanche on one of these buried layers from gentler terrain above, below and to the sides of steep slopes. Buried surface hoar was found  2 feet down in the Southern Wallowas, before the storm that began friday night. This weak layer could now be buried twice that deep. 

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Continued snowfall will make triggering an avalanche within the new snow likely. Areas that receive greater accumlations of new snow today will have a higher chance of producing a storm slab.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterdays storm brought moderate to strong winds, 2-10" of snow depending on location and ended with a warm up.  These conditions have added weight to a weak snowpack.  The next round of stormy weather will begin mid morning today.  The new snow this storm brings will further stress the snowpack.

With weak sugary snow at the base of the pack and layers of surface hoar buried throughout it, the chances of being suprised by an avalanche are great. With high pressure around the corner, now is not the time to push your luck. The drier weather will give the mountains time to adjust to the new weight and give us all a chance to see what has happened in the forecast area and how the snowpack is reacting to this new load.

Regions covered