West Slopes South

Incoming weather will create generally safe avalanche conditions throughout much of the zone on Monday. If you are going to run into trouble it will be because of prolonged periods of sunshine or blowing snow. This could be especially true on the upper reaches of the volcanoes where conditions are different than the majority of the zone.

Monday should be a transition day throughout the West South as incoming clouds bring an end to the warm and sunny weather we experienced over the weekend. These clouds should combine with increasing winds to firm up the surface and create generally safe avalanche conditions. That doesn’t mean that avalanche hazard doesn’t exist. This is especially true at upper elevations on the volcanoes where more snow fell during the previous storm. On Saturday, a skier triggered a large (D2.5) Wet Slab on Mount St. Helens. This lingering slab is a good example of how outlier events can happen in contrast to the avalanche forecast. Pay close attention to how the weather is unfolding in the area in which you are recreating and take note of how the snow is changing as a result. Here are a few things you can keep your eye on:

• We are not expecting a strong overnight freeze on Sunday night. Take a look at the snow surface and see if it is soft and moist in the morning. If you are plunging into the snow past your ankle, think about Wet Loose avalanches.
• Until the clouds approach, filtered sunshine could help to further destabilize the surface. Again, this should put Wet Loose avalanches on your radar on steep sunny slopes. We anticipate Wet Loose potential to diminish once cloudy conditions have developed.
• Take note of the winds and if they are blowing snow around, particularly at upper elevations or on the volcanoes. If so, you could find some shallow and small Wind Slabs on the leeward sides of ridges or in rocky confined chutes by the end of the day. In some areas, these slabs could form on top of some weak snow, making them touchy. Don't get surprised by one in consequential terrain.

Your biggest hazard of the day could possibly be travel conditions. Last week’s atmospheric river event delivered up to 7.5” of water to the zone, triggering a significant avalanche cycle. The effects of this period are still easy to spot wherever you go. Avalanche debris, open creeks, and rain runnels abound. Additionally, diurnal springtime weather over the weekend created an aspect-dependent snowpack with a multitude of surface conditions including icy and firm, wet and sticky, or cold and powdery, to name a few. Be careful not to get tripped up by a natural hazard or slip and take a long and uncontrolled fall on a firm slope.