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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 27th, 2018–Apr 28th, 2018

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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A weak storm is helping to ease the avalanche danger with cool temperatures and cloud cover. You could still trigger Loose Wet avalanches on slopes where you find soft wet snow. Avoid being on or under cornices.

Detailed Forecast

As the avalanche danger drops, the main concern Saturday will remain below treeline where you could still trigger Loose Wet avalanches. If you sink in wet snow up to the top of your boots, avoid slopes over 35 degrees. While they are generally smaller and easier to predict, Loose Wet avalanches can be dangerous if they push you off cliffs, through rocks, or into gullies.

Cornices and Glide avalanches have been active in the past week. The cooling trend may take an additional day or two to have an effect on these avalanche problems. Avoid stopping under known rock slabs and slopes with visible glide cracks.  Continue to put a wide buffer of terrain between you and any cornices. They will often break surprisingly far back from the edge. Make sure you are well off of and out from under cornices as you travel through the mountains.

Snowpack Discussion

A weak storm will bring cooling temperatures, clouds, and light precipitation through the weekend. Previously wet and weak surface snow is gaining strength as it freezes. A long stretch of warm weather and strong sun ushered in spring-like conditions last week. An extensive cycle of Loose Wet avalanches, cornice falls, and Wet Slabs occurred in the past week throughout the Cascades.

Generally, Wet Slabs or slab avalanches entraining wet snow in the past week have occurred in the upper snowpack with a few deeper releases reported. In the Mt Baker area and North Cascades National Park west of the Cascade Crest observers have reported a significant cycle of slabs 3-6 feet (1-2 meters) deep. One observer reported probing a widespread weak layer 3 meters below the surface on the Silver Glacier.

On Friday, Observer Matt Primomo toured near Pashastin Creek South of Leavenworth. Matt found a shallow snowpack of less than 5 feet deep and reported numerous recent Loose Wet avalanches. While the upper snowpack was moist to wet and not well frozen, it remained supportive to skis.

On Thursday, avalanche workers on Washington Pass triggered multiple slab avalanches up to size 2.5 on north and east aspects around 7,500ft. 

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.