Bulletin d’avalanche

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

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

Points saillants

You may find dangerous avalanche conditions at upper elevations on Saturday. Steer around pockets of wind-drifted snow, especially if you notice more than 6 inches of new snow or active loading. Default to lower angle or more sheltered slopes to avoid this avalanche problem. 

 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and strong wind speeds will combine to create a fresh batch reactive of wind slabs on Saturday. These slabs may break in surprising ways if they rest on top of weak, sugary snow from our recent dry spell. 

    You can find these wind slabs forming on the leeward side of ridges, directly under cornices, and scattered throughout upper elevations. Pay attention to signs such as blowing snow to help you anticipate where wind-loaded slopes exist. You can simply avoid this problem by sticking to more sheltered terrain and avoiding pockets of snow that look fat or rounded. 

    (12/1/2023)

    Default to more sheltered terrain if you notice shooting cracks like this under your feet or sled. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The fun-looking slopes to ride will likely be the slopes with the avalanche problem on Saturday.  Precipitation will continue to trickle in, and winds will stay strong, which will combine to make a dangerous day at mid and upper elevations. 

On Friday, NWAC forecaster Katie Warren observed 3 inches of new snow falling on bare ground in the Ahtanum Meadows area. Over towards Rimrock Lake, she observed nearly 6 inches of new snow. She also observed new snow falling on bare ground up 4500 ft. You can check out her full observation here. Other observers near Ahtanum Meadows reported better riding conditions and a more layered snowpack above 5000 ft. 

Leading up to this storm, a weak, thin snowpack existed on shaded aspects at mid and upper elevations. Bareground existed almost everywhere else. As new snow piles up, be ready to dig down to see how the new snow is bonding with the old snow surface.

We have limited observations from the East South. So let us know what you see by submitting a public observation. 

 

Régions couvertes