Bulletin d’avalanche

Central Cascades

Central Oregon Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Alpin
3 · Marqué
Limite forestière
3 · Marqué
Sous la limite
2 · Modéré
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 5 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

With over 2 ft. of snow in our rearview mirror, and more than another foot in the forecast by the end of the day Sunday, avalanche hazard will continue to increase.  Anywhere that the surface snow is showing any cohesion there is the potential for consequential avalanches on steep slopes.  The most dangerous slopes will continue to be East and North slopes near treeline and in the alpine where the wind has packed the snow into a Wind Slab.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2

    Wind Slab avalanches are likely on North and East slopes at and above treeline.  With such deep snow throughout the terrain the biggest clue as to which slopes are potentially wind loaded could be which slopes feel shallow or are scoured.  You can expect that the adjacent lee slope has "accumulated" that extra snow, and it is more cohesive than the snow you were finding down in meadows or at the trailhead.

    It's also worth noting that our mountains have a lot of "below treeline" terrain that acts more like "at treeline" because it has been burned.  The wind definitely has an effect on the snow in these burns.  Take this into consideration when planning your tour to avoid potential hazard.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–1.5

    By the end of the day Sunday we will have recieved nearly a meter of new snow.  This snow has been predominantly uncohesive, and numerous Loose Dry avalanches were observed on Saturday.  On Sunday use hand shears, test slopes and other tests along your skin track to verify that this continues to be the problem rather than the more dangerous Storm Slab.

    If you are skiing a steep slope, you will get some snow moving with you.  Choose terrain that doesn't increase the volume of you sluff, and particularly avoid terrain traps.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    As of Saturday, the new snow has been dry and uncohesive.  We haven't seen much, if any, of a Storm Slab avalanche problem.  With continued cold temperatures I'm optimistic that it won't become one.  Nonetheless it would be foolhardy to venture out Sunday morning without having Storm Slabs on our radar.  Use hand shears, test slopes, and other tests along your skin track to discount or confirm this problem.

Avalanche Discussion

The snow just keeps falling!  Storm totals on Saturday are well over 60 cm.  The rain crust from last weekend is now buried 75 cm. or deeper.  We haven't observed faceting near this crust or anywhere alse in our snowpack.  Throughout the storm we have had  observations of D1 avalanches, the majority of which were Wind Slabs or Loose Dry avalanches.  The new storm snow will continue to be the place to target your observations.

Régions couvertes