Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sat
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 2 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Anticipate rising temperatures, more sun, and wet avalanches at all aspects and elevations. Limit travel on or below steep slopes where the snow is thick, unsupportable, and wet. Don’t linger under cliffs still holding snow, cornices, or glide cracks.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    More sun and warmer temperatures are forecast for Friday. While lots of slopes warmed and already produced wet loose avalanches earlier in the week, there are still some considerations.

    • Northerly, higher elevation slopes were observed as moistening up on Thursday. This means we could start to see wet avalanches in places where minimal activity has occurred so far.
    • Cornices and other hanging snow features will weaken and start to fall. While it’s unlikely you will be below one when this occurs, you still don’t want to be in the way. Falling cornices and glide avalanches can also trigger larger avalanches on the slope below.
    • Prolonged warming going into the weekend could produce larger avalanches on slopes that previously avalanched. These are also unlikely and also difficult to anticipate. The only way to lower risk is to reduce your exposure to steep terrain overhead.

    Both natural and human-triggered wet avalanches are possible. Pay attention to any snow that starts to move with you when descending. Keep track of what’s above you. Active signs of instability and small avalanches are warning that bigger avalanches are possible.

    (4/13/2021)

    Wet loose avalanches start small but can grow large, given enough snow to entrain and room to run.

Avalanche Discussion

The likelihood is low you will find a wind slab or any sort of dry snow avalanche except for at the highest elevations. It’s still worth keeping an eye out for pockets of wind-drifted snow if you make it to the alpine, especially with consequential terrain below.

West Central has seen more observations in the last few days than normal. An NWAC Forecaster near Blanca Lake noted minimal avalanche danger. Wet, sloppy, and unsupportable snow was found on southerly aspects, while more northerly slopes were supportable and held decent spring turns. Unfortunately, warm temperatures and more sun going into the weekend will more equally distribute wet snow to all aspects. Skinnable snow started on an east aspect at 3500'.  

A group in upper elevation terrain in the North Cascades was able to easily trigger shallow wet loose avalanches in the top few inches of snow at mid-elevations. Dry, settled snow was found on northerly, upper-elevation slopes in the morning, but the snow surface was starting to become moist in the afternoon.

 

 

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