West Slopes Central

Avalanche danger is generally Low in places that do not have freshly wind drifted snow. Avoid steep slopes where you observe active wind loading. Wind slabs could be easily triggered in locations where they form over slick crust or weak snow surfaces.

Wind speeds and the amount of snow available for transport vary across the forecast zone. The more new snow on the ground and the stronger the wind, the more likely you are to find an unstable slab. Northerly winds should mostly build fresh slabs on the south half of the compass, but local terrain variations mean you might find one elsewhere. Blowing and drifting snow will show you which slopes are building fresh slab. Pay attention to changes in snow depth and texture. Pockets of winds slab should have a smooth appearance while the surrounding snow might look roughed up or jagged. Hand shears and test slopes can help you gauge if wind slabs are reactive. 

As usual, there are no observations from the West Central forecast zone. There is 4” of new snow on Mt. Baker and along Hwy 542 in West North. This snow sits on crust in shaded terrain also untouched by northerly winds. A stouter crust is found on sun-exposed slopes. Some low and mid-elevation areas saw enough sun for the crust to soften midday. 

Active transport and wind affected snow were noted at upper elevations on Mt. Baker on Saturday. No fresh wind slab or signs of instability were observed. Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass both have 1" or less of new snow over a firm crust. A few shallow wind slabs were reported from upper elevation terrain but no other signs of instability were noted. Travel conditions are tricky, especially in terrain with thick tree cover. 

While the current snowpack setup is fairly benign beyond some wind slab formation, the rapid weakening of snow from the surface down to the Jan 10th crust is noteworthy. In addition to surface hoar, cold temperatures, and clear skies have enabled faceting that is even starting to eat away at some of the near-surface crusts. In previous winters, the same weather and snowpack variables have created some very large avalanches once loaded up with new snow. As usual, there is no guarantee this will happen, but it's something to keep in mind whenever we get some more snow.