Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanches will be possible on high alpine slopes and near some of our windier locations at treeline.  For the most part any avalanche activity will be too shallow to warrant mentioning, but near those windier passes and ridgelines the wind may have blown in enough new snow to create avalanches that could injure a rider.  Observe how much new snow lays over Saturday's rain crust to consider how large a potential avalanche could be.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    At 7000 ft. on Sunday I observed 5 cm. of new storm snow.  The wind was Light throughout my tour.  This is not exactly the perfect setup for dangerous Wind Slab avalanches.  Nonetheless, it is worth considering that the wind blows more strongly through passes and locally around our cone-shaped terrain features (the weather station at Hoodoo recorded Moderate winds during much of Sunday morning).  Additionally, higher elevations likely experienced an earlier transition from rain to snow on Saturday and will have more new snow.

    Wind Slab avalanches can occur on slopes that face away from the wind (leeward) and beneath terrain features like ridgelines.  If you are heading up high on Monday, evaluate how much new snow overlays Saturday's rain crust on potentially wind loaded slopes before committing to steep, convex, or large slopes.  The best way to do this is on lee slopes less than 30 degrees.

Regions covered