Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche danger will increase throughout the day, as a few inches of snow will fall and it'll be windy. Expect new drifts to form and grow, which you'll be able to identify by seeing active wind transport and feeling for stiffer snow beneath you. Avoid steep slopes where you find these new wind-drifted deposits, as it's possible that you could trigger an avalanche on them. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You could trigger an avalanche in new wind slabs that will develop throughout the day on Friday. At the beginning, they will likely be very small, only an inch or two in depth, but as the day progresses you can expect that they will grow in size, with drifts up to 6 inches or more. Danger will increase as drifts grow deeper. Forecasts are calling for about 3 inches of snow to accumulate by the end of the day, and winds will be strong, heavily redistributing the snow. 

    Search for new wind slabs by identifying actively blowing snow and seeing where it lands. Feel for stiffer deposits beneath you, and use obvious clues such as long, shooting cracks happening from your weight on the snow. If these drifts are more than a couple inches deep, it's time to start avoiding them on slopes steeper than 35°. 

    We expect lower elevations to have less snow, be heavier from the warmer temperatures and less wind-affected. Near the top of the lower elevation band you might start encountering conditions more similar to the mid elevation band. 

    Example photo: Long, shooting cracks from your feet or sled are good indicators that a slide could happen on a steep slope. 

Avalanche Discussion

Warm temperatures and wind were present over the previous few days. They had varying impacts depending on where you are in the zone. There was a little wet loose avalanche activity, and breakable crusts now exist on south-facing slopes. Other surfaces became wind affected and firm. Observers noted that they were still able to find soft snow in wind and sun-sheltered locations. 

A forecaster got out in the West North zone to check conditions on Thursday. They found signs of old wet avalanches, and encountered crusts and wind-affected snow. He also found slightly faceted, weak snow, on a mid storm interface from last weekends rain and snow event, and on the surface as well (pit image below). He tried to get wind slabs to react on small, inconsequential slopes without success. You can check out his observations HERE. 

Friday is the the start of our unsettled weather, but we expect it to ramp up extensively by Saturday. If you get out in the backcountry, please share what you saw by SUBMITTING AN OBSERVATION, so that we can write better avalanche forecasts for you. 

Regions covered