East Slopes Central

The likelihood of this problem increases as the warm, sunny day progresses. Surface crusts formed overnight will break down most rapidly on slopes exposed to direct sunshine. Watch for surfaces that feel increasingly dense and sticky. Chunks of snow falling from terrain features or rollerballs tumbling down from your equipment are a sure sign of increasing instability as well. These avalanches should be limited in size, but they could run far on an underlying crust. You can reduce your risk by traveling earlier in the day or heading to shadier slopes. Be sure you have the option to travel on more stable slopes later in the day as you're making your way back to the trailhead.

The likelihood of triggering a wind slab avalanche is trending towards unlikely, but we're not out of the weeds yet. Wind slabs were reactive as recently as Wednesday, and additional snow and wind blew through the zone on Thursday. Slabs will be thicker and more reactive as you gain elevation and enter into alpine terrain or as you approach the Cascade Crest, which has seen higher accumulations. They could fail either on a mid-storm layer or on a crust buried 1-2 feet below. If triggered, they could entrain wet loose snow on their way down and grow bigger than anticipated.

Wind slabs typically form just below exposed ridgelines and within gully walls (cross-loading). Use visual clues to determine where slabs may still lurk downslope, such as textured/uneven surfaces and recently formed drifts/cornices. It's unlikely you'll get clear signs of instability, such as shooting cracks, blowing snow, and recent slab avalanches, at this point. You can reduce your risk by choosing smaller slopes with less exposed hazards below, or avoid this problem entirely by steering around exposed, wind-affected slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Give overhanging masses of snow a wider berth, both from above and below.