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Welcome to the Wallowa Avalanche Center on the web. We provide the winter backcountry traveler with tools to make an informed decision about winter travel in Northeast Oregon. The Wallowa Mountains contain outstanding opportunities for backcountry skiing and snowmobiling. Currently no official avalanche advisory, forecast, or prediction covers the Wallowa Mountains. Nothing on this site should be construed as a forecast, advisory or prediction. Wallowa Avalanche Center provides resources for individuals to make their own decisions. Our goals for the future include a local advisory and we appreciate your support toward this goal.

 

Wallowa Avalanche Center

Conditions Summary for October 16, 2009

Disclaimer: Wallowa Avalanche Center assumes no liability for the accuracy of the information contained in this summary. Information provided does not constitute or imply any type of forecast, advisory, or recommendation. Users are warned to use this information at their own risk.

Current Regional Weather Synopsis:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
200 PM PDT FRI OCT 16 2009

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...HIGH PRESSURE IS OVER THE
REGION WITH A COLD FRONT STALLED ALONG THE COAST. THE HIGH WILL KEEP
THE FRONT OVER WESTERN OREGON AND WASHINGTON TONIGHT WITH A FEW
SHOWERS OVER THE WASHINGTON CASCADES. THEN THE FRONT WILL SHIFT
INLAND ON SATURDAY AND REACH THE IDAHO BORDER SATURDAY NIGHT.
SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES
WARM AS WELL AS ON SATURDAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE
ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. SHOWERS WILL DECREASE LATE
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE AREA WILL BE BETWEEN WEATHER
SYSTEMS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A LITTLE COOLER TOO BUT STILL BE NEAR
NORMAL. NEXT SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO COME OFF THE PACIFIC OCEAN LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AND MAINLY IMPACT THE SOUTHERN ZONES. SNOW
LEVELS REMAIN HIGH OVER THE SHORT TERM.
 

 

Current Wallowa Mountains Summary:

The week started out with a fairly warm rain event, with just an inch or two of new snow at the highest elevations. Tuesday the winds picked up to 50-60 MPH at the higher elevations as well as in the Wallowa Valley. Later in the week temperatures warmed up considerably with Friday reaching in the upper 60s in the valleys and 50 degrees at the upper elevations. Friday started out with clear skies and high pressure conditions which led to morning fog in many locations.

Snowpack Conditions:

Warm temps resulted in much of the snow melting throughout the area.

Remote sensing data from midweek still shows a fair amount of snow in the Wallowas.

 

Looking up the Minam River drainage, with Eagle Cap in the middle and Matterhorn on the upper right part of this image taken on October 16, 2009.

With freezing levels over most of Oregon above 9000 feet today, much of this snow is melting.

The data below is from Mt. Howard and shows the dramatic increase in temperatures over the week.


Date

Time
(PST)

Snow Water
Equivalent
(inches)

Snow
Depth
(inches)

Year-to-Date
Precipitation
(inches)

Current
Temp
(degrees F)

Previous Day's Temp
(degrees F)

Max

Min

Avg

 10/10/2009

0000

 2.2

 10.0

 3.0

 12.7

 32.0

 12.7

 23.5

 10/11/2009

0000

 2.4

 10.0

 3.0

 18.5

 29.8

 11.3

 18.7

 10/12/2009

0000

 2.4

 10.0

 3.0

 19.4

 28.0

 11.7

 18.7

 10/13/2009

0000

 2.7

 10.0

 3.1

 36.5

 40.3

 17.8

 32.2

 10/14/2009

0000

 3.0

 11.0

 3.5

 34.7

 42.1

 32.9

 36.1

 10/15/2009

0000

 3.4

 9.0

 4.6

 34.0

 38.5

 34.0

 35.8

 10/16/2009

0000

 -99.9

 9.0

 4.6

 42.3

 46.8

 32.4

 38.5

Date

Time
(PST)

Snow Water
Equivalent
(inches)

Snow
Depth
(inches)

Year-to-Date
Precipitation
(inches)

Current
Temp
(degrees F)

Max

Min

Avg

Previous Day's Temp
(degrees F)