Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

If you travel in the northern parts of the zone or near the tops of some of the higher peaks, you may find a few wind-loaded pockets. A shift to more southerly winds could form slabs on a variety of aspects. Look for blowing snow and sharp drifts to point toward slopes you may want to avoid.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    As the winds turn more southerly and increase, they could start to redistribute some of the softer snow and form shallow fresh slabs. Further north in the zone, a bit of new snow could help make this process easier. Fortunately, they should be simple to spot and rather small. 

    Blowing snow will highlight local wind patterns and which slopes may hold new wind slabs. Be leery of pillow-like slabs along the lee side of exposed features and cliffs. Even though these slabs should be small, they could knock you over and carry you places you don’t want to go.

    (12/24/2023)

    Example: Textured surfaces and drifts point toward potentially loaded slopes. 

    Photo: Irene Henninger

Avalanche Discussion

Friday will be a bit of a transition day in the mountains ahead of our next storm. Cloudy skies and a cold S-SE breezy will keep wet avalanche concerns in check despite the mild weather. In a few isolated spots, you could encounter wet, sloppy snow. Be careful in these areas, the snow could fail, especially if it sits over a cliff or other unsupported features. You’re most likely to find wet snow further south in the zone, where some morning sunshine and warming could break down any crust. 

During this interlude between storm systems the snowpack became aspect dependent. On southerly slopes, a new surface crust formed. How thick and firm this layer is probably depends on aspect, elevation, slope angle, and where you are in the zone. On more shaded slopes and at higher elevations, the recent storm snow settled into a generally right-side-up upper snowpack. 

Below the feet and feet of recent snow, a few layers continue to linger. In some places facets sat on or just above the Early February Crust (down 6-12ft). We haven’t heard of any avalanches on these layers since the peak of the storm. However, in other forecast zones, this layer has been a problem. Keep it in mind if you are in areas with less recent snow. 

As we turn our attention to the next storm, the current surface will become a focus. Pay attention to what’s on top before the snow starts to fall. Let us know if you see feather surface hoar, sugary facets, or firm and icy crusts. 

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