East Slopes Central

Little to no new snow accumulated in most of the zone, and avalanches will be unlikely on Friday. The Salmon la Sac vicinity received more snow than other locations, and small avalanches may be possible in pockets of wind-drifted snow near ridges or heavy wet snow on sun-exposed slopes. 

The west slopes of the Cascades received a winter-like refresh of cold, dry snow in the last 48hrs. Unfortunately, not much of that precipitation made it over the crest to the eastern slopes. Salmon la Sac picked up the most with 0.5 inches of SWE at Fish Lake due to a favorable convergence zone affecting Stevens and Snoqualmie passes. If you are venturing into the upper elevations in this area, be on the lookout for stiff slabs of wind drifted snow or shooting cracks. If you see these signs of instability, stick to wind-sheltered or lower angle terrain. The intense spring sun warms surfaces quickly, and any new snow will become wet and saturated quickly. If you find recent snow that is wet and heavy, or you see rollerballs, it may be best to move to shadier terrain or lower angle slopes. Also, pay attention to overhead hazard from large cornices that are beginning to sag and may fail in the warm afternoon sun. These are a significant hazard on their own, but they may also trigger a wet loose avalanche on the slope below.  In locations further east from the crest, little to no snow accumulated. In these areas, expect challenging travel on icy surfaces in the morning, and slopes in direct sun may still shed snow and become wet and punchy by the afternoon. Access is becoming increasingly challenging at lower elevations for the east slopes of the Cascades. Be prepared for snowmobile trails to have patches of bare ground to navigate. Creeks are opening up, and hazards such as stumps and rocks are beginning to melt out. Travel cautiously to avoid impacts with hidden obstacles.