Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Despite warm temperatures and a little rain, you should find generally safe avalanche conditions around the West-South zone. If you experience heavy rain or see new rollerballs, be leery of steep slopes greater than 35 degrees where you could see an isolated wet avalanche. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    The snowpack around the West-South zone has been through a lot over the past week. Warm weather, sunshine, and several strong wind events created a patchwork of snow surfaces that will help limit the avalanche danger despite the rain. The forecasted precipitation amount should not be enough to significantly weaken the snowpack. We’re most worried about rain on sheltered and shaded slopes at mid and upper elevations that could still harbor soft dry snow. In these few locations, keep your eyes open for new rollerballs that indicate the snow surface is becoming wet and unstable. If more rain falls than anticipated, you could experience more widespread wet avalanche conditions. 

    (11/27/2020) Pinwheels at Mt. Rainier after rising freezing levels and the sun came out a few days after a storm. [S aspect 5400']

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack around this West-South zone is generally strong, well-settled, and ought to easily adjust to this rain event. Any avalanche activity should occur within the upper snowpack. A variety of snow surfaces including soft powder, stout crusts, firm wind deposits, and icy chunks formed over the past week. Expect challenging travel conditions due to this variability. 

Despite a healthy early season snowpack (3-6’, 90-180cm) early season conditions still exist. Expect open creeks and numerous obstacles to cost you a bit more time navigating the terrain and managing the hazard.

Regions covered