East Slopes South

Sunday may feel like a stormy day with moderate winds and some very light snow. While it won't be enough to increase the avalanche danger, look for small pockets of wind-drifted snow at upper elevations near the Cascade Crest, where you could trigger a small slab. Low-coverage hazards are plentiful, so take advantage of roads and summer trails to access higher elevations. 

Friday brought a dusting of snow to East South, with higher snow totals near the Cascade crest. Expect to find 2-3 inches of new snow in favored locations on the western edge of the zone. Winds associated with the storm likely drifted the new snow into shallow slabs. Shifting wind directions on Sunday could build fresh wind slabs, where you could trigger a small wind slab. While they won't be large enough or widespread enough for much danger, consider the consequences of getting knocked off and falling through steep terrain with exposed obstacles. Look for visual clues to wind slabs, such as sharp wind drifts and textured snow surfaces. Use small test slopes or hand pits to see how stiff wind-drifted snow reacts. If the snow slides easily during these quick tests, you should steer around these drifts in steep terrain. 

We may get another trickle of snow on Sunday, but the main weather event will be the wind. Expect moderate winds up to 25mph throughout the zone. Along with the light snowfall, it might feel like a storm day in the mountains, but there probably won't be enough snow to improve coverage much. 

Over the past week, temperatures have been warm, and snowpack depths have decreased significantly. You may find bare ground on south facing slopes at mid and lower elevations. On others, there is plenty of brush to contend with. Rocks and boulders may still be exposed, so consider staying on or near summer trails and roads to access more consistent snow cover at higher elevations.

You can contribute to the forecast! Let us know what you found by submitting an observation HERE.