Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger is mostly found in places with more than a few inches of new snow and winds strong enough to drift it into slabs. Avoid terrain features where you suspect recent wind loading by choosing a lower-angled line. Sunbreaks and warmer temperatures at lower elevations could produce small wet avalanches. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Look out for pockets of fresh slab if traveling in wind-exposed terrain with more than a few inches of new snow. Most slabs out there should be small and shallow but still be big enough to take you for a ride if you are not paying attention. You are most likely to find these in the alpine, but don’t let down your guard at mid-elevations as well.

    Blowing and drifting snow can show you which aspects are loading up. If the wind isn’t blowing, look for signs of wind effect like scoured snow surfaces, freshly wind-drifted snow features like mini-cornices, and fat, smooth-looking slabs.

    (12/23/2023)

    Wind-eroded snow and exposed crust are signs that the wind is transporting snow onto leeward slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

There is just enough new snow that you could see or trigger small wet avalanches, especially on slopes that warm up with sunbreaks. Limit travel on or directly under steep slopes seeing direct sun or where you see signs of instability like rollerballs or small avalanches.  

The trend of cooler temperatures should further reduce the likelihood of cornice fall or glide avalanches. Still, there are plenty of sketchy-looking cornices and glide slabs hanging on in steep terrain. Minimize time spent below them.

Folks seem to have found other things to do with their time now that the stretch of sunny weather has ended. Up-to-date avalanche, snowpack, and weather observations from actual mountain travel are sparse compared to the flurry of observations over the weekend.  

West Central was the big winner in the latest "storm" on Wednesday, with weather stations reporting 0.7-1.3” of precipitation, most of which fell overnight into Wednesday morning. The White Chuck Tripod added 8" of new snow. The farther west you are in the forecast zone, the more likely it is you will see deeper new snow. Winds were very strong overnight in neighboring zones, with gusts into the 60s and 70s  in West North and slightly lower wind speeds in Snoqualmie Pass. Wind speeds tapered off through the day.

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

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