Avalanche Forecast

Dangerous avalanche conditions will persist on Friday due to additional light snowfall, an uptick in wind transported snow near and below ridges, and cold temperatures preserving recent storm instabilities. Due to lower density surface snow available for transport and moderate W-SW winds forecast, wind slabs may develop below treeline or further downslope than you might expect Friday.  Avoid travel on slopes if you encounter wind stiffened surface snow, especially on steeper exposed terrain and steep roll-overs.  

The potential for large and destructive avalanches remains in bigger terrain. Avoid travel on or below slopes connected to large avalanche paths until we exit this storm cycle. Give safe margins near and below growing cornices. There's plenty of good snow out there, so maintain a conservative approach to terrain selection. 

Loose dry avalanches will run fast in steep terrain with plenty of loose snow available, avoid steep lines with terrain traps.

Significantly transformed snow conditions have taken place during this extended storm cycle. Tree-well and snow immersion hazards are very dangerous, so keep communication with your partner at all times.

An extended storm cycle continues. Over the past 8 days, Mt Baker has received roughly 9 ft of storm snow!  Cool temperatures beginning Wednesday night have slowed the rate of settlement of the most recent storm snow. The most recent 1/18 crust is several feet down. Cool and generally light showers were seen on Thursday with increasing snowfall intensity early Thursday evening.  

Warming early Wednesday, along with heavy snowfall and strong winds led to a widespread natural avalanche cycle. Slab avalanches of 2 ft or more were common and traveled long distances. Avalanches were releasing in terrain well below treeline leading to an update and issuance of an avalanche warning in this zone.

Poor visibility and frequent storm conditions have limited observations above treeline during this period. 

Observations: 

Wednesday, Mt Baker Pro Patrol reported a very active avalanche cycle was ongoing. There were large natural avalanches releasing from Shuksan Arm and all avalanche paths in area were sensitive to ski triggering with slabs of 2 ft or more running long distances.  

On Tuesday, NWAC Pro Observer Lee Lazara was in the Baker Lake area in below treeline terrain where he experienced significantly less snow accumulated above the recent crust (approximately 2') relative to Bagley Lakes. New storm instabilities had not yet developed in this location.