The National Weather Service announced an avalanche advisory for the North Oregon Cascades on Saturday at 3:55 p.m. that would last until Sunday at 6 p.m.
According to the weather service, “Significant new snow and strong winds, a variable and weak snowpack, and a busy weekend in the backcountry could combine for uniquely dangerous avalanche conditions.”
On many slopes, it may be simple to cause avalanches big enough to bury, hurt, or kill a person. The weather service warns that avalanches could break widely throughout the hill. “During this time, backcountry travelers should be especially cautious. For information on the particular conditions in your zone, be sure to read the avalanche forecast. Locations outside of this or any avalanche center’s coverage area may be subject to similar avalanche threat.
How to stay safe according to the weather service
Understand the three prerequisites for an avalanche:
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Slope: Avalanche generally occur on slopes steeper than 30 degrees
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Snowpack: Recent avalanches, shooting cracks, and whumpfing are signs of unstable snow
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Trigger: Sometimes it doesn t take much to tip the balance; people, new snow, and wind are common triggers
Ascertain whether you are above or below avalanche-prone slopes:
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Find out if the snow is stable
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Get the advisory: Refer to your local avalanche center for current snowpack conditions
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Get the gear and learn how to use it
Make sure your bag contains these three avalanche safety necessities:
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Transceiver: So you can be found if covered by the snow
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Shovel: So you can dig out your partner
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Probe: So you can locate someone who has been covered by the snow
After roughly fifteen minutes, avalanche survival rates for survivors who do not pass away from trauma drastically decline. It’s up to you to save your lover! It’s crucial to practice realistic scenarios in advance.
United Robots offers a service called Advance Local Weather Alerts that gathers the most recent information from the National Weather Service using machine learning.
