East Slopes South

Cooling temperatures should help limit, but not fully eliminate the possibility of wet avalanches, especially closer to the Cascade Crest. Watch for warming through the day and steer around steep slopes that lack a crust or feel wet and punchy. 

One last small system should bring more rain than snow to the East South mountains on Thursday night. With this system, look for freezing levels to take a sharp drop as well. By the morning, freezing levels will be in the 5000 ft range and should increase upwards of 6000 ft during the day. This should help decrease the chance of triggering wet snow avalanches - but it may not completely eliminate the threat on all slopes. Still consider small wet avalanches in terrain that lack a surface crust or if you find yourself or your machine sinking deeply into wet snow. Cornices have been weak in the past few days and may need extra time to gain strength, so continue to give these a wide buffer along ridgelines. 

Snowpack instability involving dry snow will be isolated and confined to upper elevation, shaded aspects. These elevations may harbor some dry snow and older wind slabs. Watch for snow surface cracking or hollow-sounding slabs as clues of instability. 

Rough travel conditions may be one of your most significant hazards at this point. Expect a slick, melt-freeze crust on many exposed slopes and melted-out lower elevations. Allow yourself extra time to navigate these variable conditions. 

If you get out, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation.