Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Fri
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

Avalanche danger is mostly found in places with more than a few inches of new snow and winds strong enough to drift it into slabs. Avoid terrain features where you suspect recent wind loading by choosing a lower-angled line. Sunbreaks and warmer temperatures at lower elevations could produce small wet avalanches. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    Look out for pockets of fresh slab if traveling in wind-exposed terrain with more than a few inches of new snow. Most slabs out there should be small and shallow but still be big enough to take you for a ride if you are not paying attention. You are most likely to find these in the alpine, but don’t let down your guard at mid-elevations as well.

    Blowing and drifting snow can show you which aspects are loading up. If the wind isn’t blowing, look for signs of wind effect like scoured snow surfaces, freshly wind-drifted snow features like mini-cornices, and fat, smooth-looking slabs.

    (12/23/2023)

    Wind-eroded snow and exposed crust are signs that the wind is transporting snow onto leeward slopes.

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    There is just enough new snow that you could see or trigger small wet avalanches, especially on slopes that warm up with sunbreaks. Limit travel on or directly under steep slopes seeing direct sun or where you see signs of instability like rollerballs or small avalanches.  

    The trend of cooler temperatures should further reduce the likelihood of cornice fall or glide avalanches. Still, there are plenty of sketchy-looking cornices and glide slabs hanging on in steep terrain. Minimize time spent below them.

    (2/4/2024)

    Pinwheels are initial signs that the snow surface is warming, and there is a greater chance of seeing wet avalanches.

    Photo: Julz Holder - Grounding Truth

Avalanche Discussion

Folks seem to have found other things to do with their time now that the stretch of sunny weather has ended. Up-to-date avalanche, snowpack, and weather observations from actual mountain travel are sparse compared to the flurry of observations over the weekend.  

Weather stations reported 0.4-1.0” of recent precipitation, most of which fell overnight into Wednesday morning. Some areas picked up 4–6” of dry new snow that transitioned to hot pow midday. The Sisters Range, the Baker NRA, and other areas around Baker Lake likely saw the most new snow. Winds were very strong overnight with gusts into the 60s and 70s but backed off in the morning.

Your avalanche, snowpack, or weather observations are extremely valuable to the avalanche community. Help create a more accurate forecast by submitting your observationsHERE. 

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