Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You can trigger avalanches near ridge tops in areas of stiffer, wind blown snow. Shifting wind and light snow may drift fresh slabs near and above treeline. Elsewhere, expect only small amounts of new snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You can avoid triggering these avalanches by sticking to wind-sheltered terrain. If you see cracks shooting through the snow or stiffer surfaces where the snow slides easily, move to slopes less than 35 degrees. Steer around pillows and drifts on steeper slopes. Pay attention to drifting patterns and look for actively blowing snow to tell you where slabs have been deposited.

    You can trigger shallow wind slab avalanches on leeward slopes. Winds were previously out of the east and should shift southwest for Friday. Triggered avalanches could spread as wide as the snow is drifted across a slope. Avalanches could be easy to trigger where new snow rests on slick crusts or weak old surfaces.

     

    (1/5/2023)

    A triggered small (D1) avalanche on the leeward side of a ridge in Liberty Bowl, next to South Early Winter Spire. SW, 7,450ft.

    Photo: NWAC Public obs

Avalanche Discussion

On Thursday, observers in Liberty Bowl triggered a small slab avalanche in an area of wind-drifted snow on a leeward side of a ridge near South Early Winters Spire. The crown was 50ft wind and it ran 500 vertical feet. East flow and upslope snowfall has been light since the 4th and may have slightly favored areas east of Washington Pass. That said, 2-day snow totals may only be 6" or less.

Observers reported a few avalanches, up to size D2, from Delancey Ridge and Spire gully that ran around Jan 1st or 2nd. These ran in recent snow layers and may have been triggered as a result of sun warming the snow and producing tree bombs and point releases.

From December 24-27th a major storm set off a cycle of very large avalanches, to D3.5, that ran on older weak layers that were buried in late November and early December. These weak layers are now deeply buried and capped with a stout crust and melt-forms from the Christmas rain event. The eastern mountains still hold a shallow and weak snowpack, but here again, the Christmas crust is capping the weak layers and adding a stronger structure. Any new snow in the eastern mountains could slide easily on the Christmas crust. 

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