East Slopes South

Closer to the Cascade crest,  recent snowfall and strong winds have built large and sensitive cornices over the past week.  Large slab avalanches are still possible on steep slopes near and especially above treeline.  Areas further from the Cascade crest and at higher elevations may resemble dangerous avalanche conditions found in the Wenatchee Mountains. Check the East Central forecast for more details.  

Following an extended storm cycle that lasted over a week, East South Snotels (Green Lake,  Lost Horse) picked up 2-3" of water equivalent while Bumping Ridge picked up a whopping 4.5" of WE(!) with temperatures at all of the stations near and occasionally above freezing during the storm events.  You'll likely be able to identify crusts in the upper snowpack throughout much of the terrain following rain events on January 1st up to 6000-6500 ft and then again on January 4th up to 5500 ft or so.  

Steer around steep open slopes near and especially above treeline where recent winds will have created deeper drifts near the Cascade crest.  It's here you may trigger a large slab avalanche within the recent snowfall.  Cornices may easily break off and trigger avalanches on the slopes below.  Give them a wide berth if traveling along ridgelines. We expect a few inches of new snow tonight through Friday with shifting ridgeline winds. Shallow pockets of new wind slab may develop near and above treeline Friday. 

In the nearby Wenatchee mountains,  large and deadly avalanches are likely to be triggered by a backcountry traveler.  In parts of the East South that are at higher elevations and further east of the Crest (areas with a shallower and colder snowpack), you may find similar conditions. Here the worry is that you can trigger an avalanche that releases down to old weak snow near the ground or a crust formed in early December.  This setup is especially dangerous because up to recently, many areas barely had enough snow to warrant avalanche concerns. 

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.