East Slopes Central

 Avalanche conditions are generally safe, but still use caution in exposed upper elevation terrain where thin wind slabs may exist. A new generation of shallow wind slabs may form further east in the zone as a small storm clips the Wenatchee Mountains.  Look for signs of recent drifting and be mindful of terrain where a small avalanche could be consequential. 

A weather system may gift the eastern Wenatchee Mountains with 1-3” of low-density new snow through Monday. Due to the position of this storm, we don’t expect much new snowfall for areas further west. These are pretty low-impact precipitation numbers for the avalanche forecast; however, increasing wind speeds into the moderate range may be more impactful and help build a new batch of thin slabs along ridges and in the alpine. 

Older wind slabs in the alpine may still exist. These may have formed over slick crusts and weak surfaces, making avalanches easy to trigger. Make frequent assessments in smaller terrain before committing to consequential terrain where a small avalanche could push you into rocks, trees, or over cliffs. 

Observations from this zone indicate complex, weak layering in the upper snowpack. There is widespread surface hoar development, crust/facet sandwiches, and a poor bond between recent snow and slick crusts below. Observations from Saturday indicated these weak surfaces are now buried intact below the few inches of fresh snow. While this storm wasn't the tipping point, these preserved, persistent weak layers may still be problematic with future loading events. While we wait for more snow, it will be useful to use small hand pits to check the new interface. Take note and send us an observation if you see buried surface hoar or if the overlying snow doesn't seem well bonded. While we wait for additional snow and a hopeful turn toward snowier conditions, expect many exposed hazards you don't typically see this time of year. These include rocks, random holes, creeks, and downed logs. Give yourself extra time and precaution to manage these “early season” conditions and know that some hazards may be obscured by new snow.