Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A skier triggered and was caught in an avalanche in the Mt Baker backcountry on Wednesday. Other reports of avalanches have come in, all pointing towards instabilities in recent snow layers.  As snowfall continues, stay off slopes steeper than 35 degrees while our snowpack adjusts to the weight. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Recent avalanches including a full burial happened in neighboring zones on Wednesday.  More snow has been added since these avalanches, and snowfall will continue through Thursday. Slopes may just need that little bit more snow, or a human trigger to tip the scale and avalanche.  This is one of our larger storm cycles we’ve seen this year, and recent avalanches are bullseye clues that we should stick to lower angle terrain while the snowpack adjusts to the added weight. 

    Expect slab development at higher elevations, where the wind will play a role in redistributing the new snow into thicker more reactive deposits on leeward slopes. Textured surfaces, pillows of recently drifted snow, and new cornice development are signs that wind deposited more snow onto a slope. Stay off areas steeper than 35 degrees while avalanches and snowfall continue. 

    A human triggered avalanche in the Steven's Pass backcountry on Wednesday

Avalanche Discussion

A skier was buried in an avalanche outside the Mt Baker Ski Area boundary on a northeast facing slope at around 4700ft on Wednesday, he was recovered unharmed. A human triggered avalanche in the Steven’s Pass backcountry was reported as well failing a few inches above the 12/9 crust. Surface hoar was found at the interface. There is a lot of uncertainty about the weak layer's reactivity and how widespread it is, and whether it extends into the West Central zone. 

Small loose avalanches may happen during this storm cycle.  Expect moist snow and possibly rollerballs below ~4000ft, while at higher elevations steep areas could produce small dry “sluffs”. Stay alert even for small avalanches as they could still knock you off your feet.

Avalanches are currently limited to the 2 feet or more of snow above the 12/9 crust. The stout crust formed over the existing snowpack last week after 2 inches of rain fell, locking the lower snowpack in place. Below 4000ft the snowpack is thin, so watch out for open creeks, trees and rocks. 

Regions covered