Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A few inches of snow above 4500 feet will make the old, hard snow surface more friendly at upper elevations. Shallow wind-deposited pockets of snow could develop at upper elevations, and may react to a human trigger.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    We may receive enough snow and wind that small pockets of wind slab will form at upper elevations. These could react to a human trigger. The avalanche will remain shallow, probably less than 6 inches deep. If they do run, the bed surface is the old, firm crust, so they will probably keep moving easily. 

    Pay attention to new snow qualities above the crust, noticing thicker deposits. Your largest concern if you encounter avalanches could be getting pushed into a terrain trap, or the surface layer stripping back to the firm crust, a more challenging layer to travel over. This is good practice for identifying changes in snow characteristics and potentially encountering small avalanches to better prepare you for larger new snow amounts.

    Wind textured snow surfaces provide great clues that wind slabs may exist nearby. Ian Nicholson

Avalanche Discussion

Other unlikely avalanche concerns still exist, such as small wet loose avalanches at lower elevations. Soft, unsupportable layers, although by now well transitions to large moist grains, may still avalanche in steep areas. Additionally, glide cracks and large, sagging cornices still present enough of a hazard that I don’t feel comfortable with traveling beneath them. Plan your day while taking into account the variable snow conditions, from soft and punchy down low to firm with a coat of fresh snow at upper elevations.

Regions covered