Avalanche forecast

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Sunny weather and decreasing winds may beckon you to upper elevations. Use extra caution in areas that are open to wind-transported snow. Move to low-angle terrain if you see recent avalanches, cracking, or overhanging cornices. In steep, wind-protected terrain, low-density snow could sluff and pull you off your feet. Ease into steeper terrain and avoid terrain traps like cliffs and gulleys. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    On Tuesday, triggering small wind slabs will be likely, and large, isolated wind slabs will be possible. Small, shallow wind slabs were easy to trigger on Monday. Overnight, new snow and moderate wind gusts could continue to load lee slopes. Although the sun will come out and winds will back off on Tuesday, these wind slabs will need a bit of time to bond to the layers underneath. Be vigilant, especially if you venture to upper elevations. Look for rippled and pillowy texture on the snow surface, drifted snow, and give cornices a wide berth. Using your ski pole to assess the snow density (looking for strong over weak snow), hand pits, and testing small features like drifts and convexities are good ways to gain information about the snowpack's upper layers. If you're uncertain, stick to terrain that's less than 30 degrees. 

  • Loose Dry

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

    Monday night and Tuesday will remain relatively cold, which will keep the surface snow loose and unconsolidated, especially on shaded slopes and in wind-sheltered terrain. In steep, tight terrain like gulleys or chutes, the loose snow ("sluff") could get going enough to pull you off your feet and into terrain traps like tightly-packed trees, rocks, and cliffs. Until this loose snow becomes more settled, avoid steep terrain features that don't have a clear runout. 

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