West Slopes Central

Happy New Year! 

Watch out for pockets of wind-drifted snow if heading toward alpine terrain. Sun and warming could trigger rollerballs and even small wet loose avalanches on sunny slopes. Despite some new snow, thin snowpacks and early season hazards like open water, creek holes, rocks, and stumps are still nearly everywhere you look.

At upper elevations you could still find a slab avalanche in wind-loaded terrain. Unfortunately, wind slabs might be difficult to identify. The clues you are looking for are likely covered by a softer, lighter layer of snow that fell later in the storm when winds were light and temperatures colder. On-the-fly tests like hand pits and even just poking around with the handle of a ski pole can help you identify where the snow is more or less wind-drifted

Rollerballs and a few small wet avalanches were observed today in zones adjacent to West Central.. More sun and slightly warmer temperatures are forecast for Monday so keep an eye on steep overhead terrain that is seeing direct sunshine. Increasing clouds and south winds should limit wet avalanche activity in the afternoon. 

Precipitation totals in West Central were in the middle compared to adjacent zones. Alpental had 4” of new snow at mid-elevations while Stevens Pass saw a trace to an inch. The Alpine Meadows and Skookum Creek Snotels saw roughly 1.0” of rain but other stations in West Central saw half that or less. White Chuck lost a few inches of snow which means that any precipitation that did fall came down as rain. The Baker area in West North saw the most with 1.35” at Heather Meadows and up to 12” of new snow at mid-elevations.

Observations are sparse but expect wet, well-consolidated snowpacks around the zone at most elevations. You might find a drier, more layered snowpack at upper elevations and also farther east in the zone (Dome Peak, Fortress Mountain, etc), that likely saw less rain and slightly cooler temperatures. If traveling up in the alpine or near the Cascade Crest, prepare to make your own observations and adjust your plan as necessary.