Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

More snow and wind could be enough to increase avalanche danger at upper and middle elevations. Look for and assess freshly drifted snow and have options to stay off of steep and wind-exposed slopes. You may encounter moist, recent snow at low to middle elevations. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    You can trigger a variety of avalanches in the new and recent snow. The most dangerous terrain will be steep, leeward sides of ridges where the wind will form fresh slabs. You should be able to see actively blowing snow or very recent drifts that point out these slopes. Avalanches could be big enough to bury or kill you on these upper and middle elevation slopes.

    You could trigger avalanches in steep, sheltered terrain, as well. They could be shallow, only in the new snow, or they could be 1.5 feet deep, entraining all of the snow that fell this week. Snowfall could add up quickly and could be heavy at times. Use small test slopes to see how the snow behaves before traveling on larger slopes over 35 degrees. Watch for triggering wet avalanches on sun-exposed E-S-W aspects, even if the sun isn't shining.

Avalanche Discussion

Forecasts call for roughly 9-10 inches of new snow by Thursday afternoon with strong and gusty winds. Above 5,000ft, this will add to the snow that fell earlier this week.  Older surfaces and crusts that were buried on the 9th could be close to 2 feet below the surface. 

On Monday, snow totals ranged from 6-12" of snow. The Decline Creek snotel added 1.4" of precipitation overnight, with other weather stations seeing a bit less. In the Foss River drainage, observers reported triggering very sensitive, but isolated avalanches in the new snow on leeward slopes. Similar to reports from the West North zone, these avalanches have us suspecting a layer of buried surface hoar at the 3/9 interface on upper elevation shaded slopes. 

Regions covered