Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is still Low but you could find areas of locally higher danger in wind-loaded terrain. Be on the lookout for fresh slabs of wind-drifted snow if there are more than a few inches of fresh snow on the ground and the winds are strong.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    How much wind slab you find at upper elevations on Monday will depend on two things: wind speeds where you are in the mountains and the amount of fresh snow on the ground. The melt-freeze crust buried in early February is a great marker to identify the amount of new snow that fell since last week.

    At mid-elevations, there is maybe an inch or two and it's probably just not enough for significant wind slab development. Upper elevations vary in the amount of new snow above the crust. Some places have up to 6” while others are already quite scoured down and have nothing left to offer up for fresh slabs.

    Active wind transport should be easy to identify when winds are stronger in the morning. If winds are light, look for the usual scoured snow surfaces that show where the snow was stripped, and fat drifts where it ended up. Stomping on features like tiny cornices and test slopes will be the best way to see if there is any reactivity in the fresh slabs.

    (2/4/2024)

    Use differences in snow  accumulation and texture to figure out where wind slabs might lurk.

Avalanche Discussion

Reports from both Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass indicated firm surfaces didn't soften much on Sunday. Both forecast zones have up to 2" of new snow over the well-frozen, early February crust. 

Observers at mid-elevations in West North also found an inch or two of new snow over the same crust. A mix of near-surface facets and surface hoar were found topping the snowpack. At higher elevations, there was 4-6” of new snow with isolated wind drifts up to 2’ thick. Wind slabs were reactive in some areas and stubborn to unreactive in others. Most were shallow and small enough to present little in the way of avalanche danger.

The sun triggered a round of roller balls and a few small wet loose avalanches (D1) on solar aspects. Expect a crust on slopes that saw some sun on Sunday.  No other recent avalanches were reported. Debris and crowns from extremely large avalanches last weekend are still quite visible.

 

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