East Slopes South

Small natural or human-triggered wet loose avalanches are possible on steep and sunny slopes as the freezing level rises Tuesday. Choose lower angle or shadier slopes where you see rollerballs or a wet snow surface.

Several days of warm and sunny weather led to a natural loose wet avalanche cycle over the last few days. Sunday brought clouds and a cooling trend which should have further stabilized the snowpack. Very light snow accumulations arrived overnight Sunday but were confined to slopes close to the Cascade crest.  A few inches of recent snow sits on top of a melt-freeze crust from last week. As the sun comes out and temps start to rise, expect that small loose wet avalanches will be possible on steep slopes, especially those receiving direct sunshine. A wet snow surface and roller balls in the snow are the first sign that you could trigger a loose wet avalanche. Choose lower angle or more shaded terrain if you see these signs. Wet snow avalanches that begin small will pick up steam on larger steep sunny slopes.  Take care near terrain traps such as cliffs and creeks, even small wet loose avalanches can knock you off your feet. 

At upper elevations, small wind slabs may linger near ridge crests and below cornices. Steer around these start zones to avoid kicking off a wind slab.

Previous discussion below:

Following a cold and snowy February that featured several distinct avalanche cycles, the last week has been milder and relatively tame.  Deep slab instabilities above the mid-January crust/facet combo caused very large and even historic avalanches in neighboring zones from late February through the first days of March.  The most recent large-very large natural avalanche observed near the East South zone occurred on March 1st on Spiral Butte just east of White Pass.  We have dropped the Deep Persistent Slab problem in the neighboring zones. In the Wenatchee mountains where this interface is closer to 2-3 feet down from the surface, snowpack tests and isolated reports of whumpfing mean this problem may be unlikely but still remains in the back of our minds. 

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, continue to follow the latest guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. Avoid unnecessary risks that could impact first responders and stress medical resources.  Wear a mask when appropriate, practice social distancing, and consider recreating closer to home.