Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

It continues to be an active weather week and triggering an avalanche in exposed terrain steeper than 35 degrees is likely. Look for snow blowing around or overhanging masses that jut out over the side of a ridge to clue you into where wind-affected snow is. Signs of instability include long shooting cracks from your equipment and audible collapsing. If you see bits of snow rolling down on a sunny slope, a small wet snow avalanche could soon follow.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    With sun breaks in the morning/early afternoon and decreasing wind on Saturday, you could find some unstable wet snow. The typical initiation of wet loose avalanches involves rollerballs and pinwheels or chunks of snow falling from cliffs and trees. It's unlikely you'll encounter a wet snow avalanche at upper elevations, but not out of the question. If you're on a sunny slope and the snow is becoming sticky and moist, find lower angle or shadier slopes. 

    (3/21/2021)

    Wet loose avalanches often initiate where snow sheds off rocks and trees onto the slope below. Note that there are both small rollerballs and wet loose avalanches in this image. 

    Photo: Zack McGill - Cascade Mtn Ascents

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The closer you are to the Cascade Crest and higher in elevation you travel, the more likely it will be to find both new and old wind slabs. The likelihood of triggering an avalanche is lower in areas further east, such as the Wenatchees. Older and deeper slabs formed on Thursday night will be less reactive, but triggering one could create an avalanche large enough to bury you.

    Wind slabs typically form just below ridgelines and in gully or chute-shaped terrain features. Wind speeds have been strong, so you could encounter wind-affected snow lower down on slopes than you might expect. Look for clear signs of wind transport: dune-like drifts, cornice formation, and blowing snow. As you move about the terrain and the snow begins to feel denser and look unevenly distributed, assume wind slabs probably lurk nearby. In addition to cracking and collapsing, recent natural slab avalanches are very good reasons to avoid exposed terrain steeper than 35 degrees.

    If you plan to travel near the Cascade Crest, namely the Salmon La Sac, approach all steep, unsupported terrain with some suspicion, as storm slab instabilities may also exist. You can push around in a simple hand pit or on an inconsequential test slope to help gauge the reactivity of the recent storm snow.

    (3/21/2025)

    A small, inentionally triggered wind slab avalanche in The Swath.

    Photo: Public

Avalanche Discussion

The Thursday and Friday storm delivered as promised, depositing 1.10" of SWE along the Cascade Crest. With it came the forecasted winds; Dirty Face had gusts up to 64 mph. Observers reported reactive and touchy wind slabs on varied aspects in the North Chiwaukum and Teanaway areas. It was also warm, and rain fell up to 4000 ft in much of the zone. Yet another windy storm will bring another 2-6" Friday night, favoring the Crest. Freezing levels will drop, and we expect much of the snow that got moist on Friday to refreeze.

With each delivery of new snow in the last week, wind slabs of varying sizes and sensitivities have formed. There was a report of someone getting caught and carried in an avalanche for five consecutive days out of the last nine. Two of these involvements happened in the East Central zone. All of this stands to serve as a good reminder that we must ease into terrain after stormy periods, regardless of the circumstances. As we go into the weekend, expect conditions to still be complex and potentially increasing in hazard when an atmospheric river event begins Saturday night.

Persistent slabs are still on the watch list in the adjacent zone to the north as the snowpack continues to receive new loading. While we’ve put this problem to bed in the East Central, it’s worth considering in very northern portions or more far-flung parts of the zone. To reduce your risk, you can default to simpler terrain that is planar and short.

Submit an observation to the website or the Avy App to help NWAC Forecasters reduce uncertainty. It can be short, simple, and even anonymous. 

Regions covered