Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Expect triggered and natural wet avalanches on steep slopes at all elevations. Stay out from under steep overhead terrain as some avalanches could be big enough to bury or kill you. Rain will fall to upper elevations and should taper off by Wednesday afternoon.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Expect wet avalanches on many slopes over 35 degrees. Some of these could be large, destructive, and could even break as wet slabs. Use caution around all avalanche terrain, and make sure to stay out from under steep slopes. Natural avalanches could come down from above. Watch for rollerballs, pinwheels, and recent wet avalanches as indicators of the danger. 

    There's a lot of recent, dry snow in the upper snowpack which could slide if it gets wet. Rain will reach all but the highest elevations. Above 7,000ft, natural slab avalanches could occur in drier snow, and then turn wet as they run lower in the terrain. The peak of precipitation and avalanche activity could be in the early morning hours but could extend into the day.

    (11/29/2021)

    An example of rollerballs from a rain event on from 11/28. Slate Lake, SE

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

On Tuesday, observers reported widespread shallow (5-8") storm slab avalanches in dense new snow that fell since the 10th. Prior to the storm, observers found a variety of snow surfaces including thin surface hoar, sun crusts, and decomposing snowflakes.

The last storm wrapped up on the 7th in the Hwy 20 corridor, and observers noted a widespread cycle with avalanches up to D2.5.  Slab avalanches were reported at low elevations in the eastern part of the zone. An even more widespread cycle occurred at lower elevations and in sagebrush country in the East Central zone, including in places like along Hwy 97A above the Columbia River.  From January 5-7th, the Washington Pass area picked up roughly 3.3 inches of water with 2' of settling storm snow.  Mazama saw 18" over this period.  The storm ended with extreme westerly winds that transported significant snow at all elevations.  

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