Boletín de aludes

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Sat
Alta montaña
3 · Notable
Límite del bosque
3 · Notable
Bajo el límite
2 · Moderado
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 3 years ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

Your main concern is wind-drifted snow, most commonly found near ridgelines, around rocky outcroppings, in gullies, and on steep rollovers. Search for thicker, heavier snow deposits, and steer around these locations on steep slopes, especially near and above treeline where the drifts will be larger and more reactive. 

Problemas de aludes

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    1–2

    Most wind slab avalanches you could trigger in steep, wind-loaded terrain will fail on or within the new snow layer. This is in the top 6 inches to foot or so of snow. Many avalanches will probably remain small, but some could be large enough to bury and kill you. Expect avalanche size and reactivity to increase as you gain elevation. 

    Today is a good day to use test slopes and hand pits to investigate any weaknesses in the upper snow layers. Search for textured snow or pillowed features. You will probably notice yourself sinking in less on stiffer areas of snow, indicative of wind loading. If you see any recent avalanches or long shooting cracks these are red flags to steer clear of nearby steep slopes. Take all these factors into account and if you notice any of them, avoid slopes steeper than 35 degrees in the area. 

    (3/2/2023)

    Human-triggered wind slab which propagated about 10m uphill as the skier traversed across the slope below the photo, exiting the area before it even slid. 5200', SE, SS-ASu-R1-D1-I

    Photo: Charlotte Guard

Avalanche Discussion

We've had a series of storms since Sunday, totaling around 2 feet of snow in much of the zone. Many subtle or not-so-subtle variations exist in the snow layers since Sunday depending on what mountain and aspect you're on. Most of the concerns earlier in the week have settled out relatively quickly, at least in neighboring zones, and the more recent layers of snow are the most reactive. It's not out of the question that in isolated locations which are probably wind loaded, an avalanche could fail 2-3 feet deep.

Forecasts are showing us receiving a few inches overnight and another few inches during the day Friday. Temperatures will stay relatively cool, and light to moderate wind will sustain. Thanks to plenty of differences throughout the large West Central zone, what you see will vary quite a bit, so use this avalanche forecast as a starting point for evaluating conditions where you're located. Danger may be slightly higher or lower than this forecast where you are. 

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