West Slopes Central

Look for small slabs of wind-drifted snow if heading into higher, exposed areas, and also for wet snow shedding from cliffs receiving direct sun. Expect very firm, uneven snow surfaces to start the day.

Backcountry reports from around the Cascades all said basically the same things about Sunday: there is a lot of frozen debris from natural avalanches that occurred last week, the surface is firmer and crustier than it was on Saturday, and avalanches seemed unlikely. Recent wet avalanche activity appears to have run its course, and the upper snowpack is continuing to refreeze and attain a concrete-like consistency. If overnight temperatures stay warmer than forecast, you could still see a bit of wet snow shedding from cliffs receiving full sun.

Even though active wind transport isn’t expected, there has been just enough snow and wind over the past few days to form wind slabs in alpine terrain. These should be isolated in distribution and generally small, but could still be an issue in steep, consequential terrain with cliffs, crevasses, or other hazards below. Pay attention to subtle signs of wind loading and take a moment to assess how well these slabs are bonded before committing to steeper lines. This is more likely an issue farther north in the zone or closer to North Cascades National Park. Areas farther south in West Central should have no new snow.

Travel will be more about managing conditions than avoiding avalanches. Expect firm, supportable surfaces in the morning. Solar input may soften sun-exposed slopes, while shaded terrain remains firm. Building clouds should limit afternoon warming.

Looking ahead, an approaching storm will begin to impact the area Monday evening with increasing winds. Precipitation is expected to start Tuesday morning, but with warming temperatures, rain is expected to push into mid elevations, limiting snow accumulation outside of the higher terrain.