Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

While sunshine and warm temperatures could produce a few isolated small loose wet slides Thursday, they shouldn’t pose much of a risk to you as a traveler unless you’re in extreme terrain. You should find generally safe avalanche conditions across much of the zone.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    So, why is there a loose wet problem if conditions are generally safe? Well, with warm temperatures and sunshine, this is the primary issue on our minds. We think in most locations the snowpack will stay relatively firm and strong. However, you could see a few isolated pockets of wet snow around steep rocky slopes basking in the sunshine. This will be particularly true in locations (White Pass, Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens) where softer snow from the weekend over lays the 2/27 crust. If you see rollerballs or encounter wet sticky snow, start thinking about loose wet slides. Pay attention to the slopes above you so that one of these small slides doesn’t catch you by surprise. 

    Along with the warm temperatures, you could see ice, cornices, or blocks of snow shed from cliffs without much warning. While these events should be isolated, you don’t want to be under one of them if it happens. So, look for routes that help you limit the time you spend below these overhead hazards.

    (2/1/2023)

    An older loose wet avalanche from steep rocky terrain. This is where you could see the hazard on Thrusday, 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Several snowpack and weather factors will battle over the snow stability Thursday. Obviously, with Low danger, we believe the good guys (stability) will win. A solid freeze, stout surface crust, and high thin clouds should help the snowpack stay strong and stable. On the other hand, warming temperatures and sunshine will try their best to weaken the surface and create wet snow issues. If you see new roller balls, the scales may have tipped in the wrong direction. Be leery of similar slopes. 

After several days with gradually warming temperatures, sunshine, and no new snow we think any lingering wind slabs would be very hard to trigger. So, while you may still see signs of wind-transported snow and firm pillow-like drifts, we don’t expect these to produce any avalanches. Even still, consider the consequences before you ride any previously wind-loaded slope.  Does it end in a terrain trap? If so, look for other, less consequential, options. 

Reports from the last several days around the zone suggest variable conditions. Icy slopes, crusts, wind-textured snow, and pockets of powder have all been reported.

Regions covered