Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Small wet loose avalanches will naturally occur on steep southerly terrain. Your largest concern is if these avalanches push you into a terrain trap such as a cliff band or a gully,  causing you harm.  Travel may challenge you, with firm variable lower elevation and south-facing snow, and sticky surfaces in some areas. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

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

    You will notice wet loose avalanches running on steep terrain on the southern half of the compass as slopes warm. Locations of the avalanches will slowly shift throughout the day, from easterly in the morning, through the south, and towards the west in the afternoon. These will remain in the new snow layers, up to 3 or 4 inches deep. The slick melt freeze crust on south slopes beneath the new snow  is an excellent sliding surface for avalanches to run on.  Keep an eye out for steep areas, especially around rocky outcroppings, which is where  wet loose avalanches most commonly initiate.  When you start noticing rollerballs make sure you're not in an area that getting caught by even a small slide would be a problem, such as above a cliff band or thick trees, or in a gully.  If there is enough snow or a big enough path that larger amounts of snow could become entrained, consider avoiding that area altogether as the slope warms. 

    Wet loose avalanche like this may occur on Tuesday.

Avalanche Discussion

Wind slab avalanches are unlikely, but you might still find them in isolated pockets of complex north-facing terrain at higher elevations. Search for drifts in gullies, around features, or beneath cliff bands. If you see wind loading, investigate how deep the slabs are and how readily they will slide before exposing yourself to the terrain. Have an escape route planned if you commit to a wind loaded slope.  Increasing daytime temperatures will also increase the likelihood of cornices breaking. Check out the photos below for a recent cornice triggered avalanche on Mt. Pilchuck. There is a chance that a cornice could trigger wind slabs or maybe a deep slab avalanche on large, exposed upper elevation slopes. For this reason be very wary around cornices, staying far back from their edges and limit your exposure beneath corniced ridgelines. Another concern as conditions become more springlike is glide avalanches. These are very difficult to predict, but if you notice gaping cracks in the snowpack reaching all the way to the ground, it is best to avoid the slopes beneath the cracks.  Check out the photos below from a large glide avalanche which which occurred just north of Highway 20 in the West North zone last week. 

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