Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Windy weather could form a few new slabs on the lee sides of rocky features, chutes, and exposed ridgelines. Blowing snow should help you figure out where these wind-loaded pockets could exist. Steer around pillow-like slabs, especially in consequential terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    With so much soft fuffy snow still on the ground, Wednesday’s windy conditions could easily build fresh slabs at mid and upper elevations. Fortunately, they should be rather easy to anticipate, spot, and avoid. Activity blowing snow will be the most obvious clue to determine which aspects and features to pay attention to. Fresh cornices, sharp drifts, and textured surfaces can also indicate potentially wind-loaded slopes are nearby. 

    Most of these slabs should be rather shallow, soft, and easy to manage. However, some of them could grow large enough (D1.5) to take you for a nasty ride or flush you down a chute.

    (3/6/2023) Reverse loading results in wind slabs in some unexpected places. Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

The weather pattern this week feels like we’re stuck in a rut. Cloudier skies Wednesday morning cold turn to snow showers and maybe a few patches of blue sky in the afternoon. Even if some locations in the West South zone pick up a few inches of new snow, it shouldn’t really impact the avalanche danger. 

The “patches of blue sky in the afternoon” piece, however, could raise a question. We think a thin surface crust on southerly slopes and more clouds than sun will limit any loose wet activity. However, if you experience prolonged warm sunny periods, expect snow to shed from trees and rocks. This could result in piles of rollerballs and a few loose wet avalanches. 

Outside of wind and sun-affected areas, the upper snowpack is soft, generally stable, and right-side-up. Reports continually note deep travel conditions. While you can still find many of the recent storm interfaces in the top several feet of snow, we haven’t heard of any avalanches failing deeper in the snow. All recent activity has been limited to a few natural and human triggered wind slab and loose dry avalanches.

Regions covered