Bollettino valanghe

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
1 · Debole
Limite del bosco
1 · Debole
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

You will find a primarily stable snowpack that has been beaten back by multiple days of very warm temperatures. But yet another day of warm temperatures and sunshine is in store, and you may find isolated areas of unstable wet snow in very steep, rocky, sun-exposed terrain. Challenging travel on icy crusts will exist until the sun or afternoon temperatures soften the surfaces. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    A strong inversion and east winds are in the forecast for Saturday, which may limit wet loose avalanche activity. However, as temperatures warm up in the afternoon or if you climb to higher elevations above the cooler air, you may find wet, slushy snow on sun-exposed slopes. If you begin to sink deeper than your calf in wet unconsolidated snow, wet avalanches may be possible. Snow surfaces have been beaten down by strong winds and multiple days of spring-like temperatures and cool nights. These rough and variable surfaces will help to keep any wet avalanches small and isolated to very steep terrain and features such as rocks and cliffs. But, keep in mind that even a small avalanche can hurt you if it carries you over a cliff or buries you deeply in a gully.Many cornices have already fallen or been melted back by the warm temperatures and the sun. But it will be important not to linger underneath any  of those that remain. They are a hazard by themselves if they break and roll downhill, and they can also initiate a wet loose avalanche on the slope below. 

    (2/7/2022)

    Very small wet loose slide.

    Photo: Andrew Pierce

Avalanche Discussion

The inversion in the forecast may weaken in the afternoon, and forecasted high temperatures are in the low 40°'s. With wet avalanche problems, monitoring changes in the surface conditions and weather throughout the day is important. Small terrain features form micro-scale weather patterns that can be substantially cooler or warmer than nearby locations. You can expect challenging and icy travel conditions in the morning and softened surfaces in the afternoon on sunny slopes. At the same time, shady slopes may harbor breakable crusts that might not soften without direct sunshine. From January 30 to February 2, storms deposited 8-12 inches of snow over variable surfaces in the East South Zone. Strong ridgeline winds redistributed this last snowfall into dense slabs, scoured westerly aspects, and created stiff, wind-pressed surfaces. Since then, warm, sunny days and clear nights allowed the snowpack to resume another diurnal melt-freeze cycle reminiscent of the springtime. Avalanche concerns are limited anywhere you find firm and frozen snow surfaces. Eastern portions of the zone received little snow during the last storm, and thick icy crusts exist on the surface, maintaining challenging travel conditions. There was a significant loss in overall snow height in January, and early February, and many ridgelines, southern aspects, and low elevation slopes melted out to bare ground. Several creeks reopened as well, and many snow bridges fractured or collapsed. Shallowly buried obstacles are additional hazards to manage. 

Regioni coperte