Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

The weather factors you experience will help you figure what kind of avalanche you are most likely to see. Anticipate wet avalanches on steep slopes seeing direct sun. Avoid steep terrain holding freshly wind drifted snow at upper elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Sun and rising temperatures will keep the threat of wet avalanches in the forecast. Lots of low-elevation terrain is melted out, but you could still see wet avalanches or snow shedding from cliffs anywhere there is sufficient coverage. Keep an eye on what’s above you at all times.

    They are unlikely when the snow surface is topped with a crust or where stronger winds keep the snow surface cooler. The likelihood of natural and human triggered wet avalanches increases as crusts break down and the snow becomes wet and mushy.

    Limit travel on or directly under steep slopes seeing direct sun or where you see signs of instability like rollerballs or small avalanches. Don’t linger below cornices, or rock slabs and cliffs holding melting snow. 

    (3/27/2021)

    Wet loose avalanches often initiate where snow sheds off rocks and trees onto the slope below.

    Photo: Zack McGill

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A burst of strong north and east wind overnight and into the morning should drift snow up in the alpine. There isn’t a ton of soft, dry snow resembling powder out there, but the windward slopes will be the ones that have snow available for transport. Fresh slabs building over slick crust could be easier to trigger and run farther than expected.

    Active wind drifting and blowing snow will show you which slopes are loading up and building slabs. Textured, eroded snow surfaces can point the way toward areas holding fresh slab after the wind dies down. Use extra caution in exposed alpine terrain where even a small avalanche can have big consequences.

    Small wind loaded features at ridgeline can serve as test slopes to gauge the reactivity of fresh wind slabs.

Avalanche Discussion

Preliminary Report: NWAC is saddened to report an avalanche fatality as a result of a cornice fall on Mt St Helens. On Saturday, March 30, 2024, a snowboarder summited the peak. While standing near the top, he triggered a cornice and fell to his death. Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community.

Discussion

Avalanche activity on Saturday was dependent on the amount of sun and wind. In West North, high clouds and a light breeze limited warming and kept the snow surface cooler, with no new wet avalanches reported as of late afternoon. Less clouds, higher temperatures, and more small avalanches were reported from Snoqualmie Pass. In many areas, the initial shot of sun and warming on Friday created the conditions for the first round of wet avalanches, some of which occurred on northerly aspects where strong greenhouse conditions were observed. 

At mid and upper elevations, 1-2’ of snow sits over the mid-March crust. Many lower-elevation locations do not have enough snow for you to see avalanche activity. The layers of new snow that have fallen since March 23rd are beginning to settle into a single layer and bonding well to the crust below. Identifiable layer interfaces show no propagation in testing.  The snow surface is wet or crusty on all aspects except on steep, northerly aspects - mostly at upper elevations - where dry, powder-like snow can still be found. There is a chance that higher temperatures early next week could instigate a round slab avalanches in terrain that sees intense warming and sun exposure.

Your avalanche, snowpack, or weather observations are extremely valuable to the avalanche community. Help create a more accurate avalanche forecast by submitting your observationsHERE. 

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