Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Avalanche danger is trending downward as temperatures creep lower.  If you encounter stout crusts at upper elevations, avalanche activity is further reduced. Continue to avoid travel beneath large glide cracks and under cornices, especially at mid-elevations and any areas without a surface freeze. Prepare for travel on hard crusts if you make it to upper elevations, whereas lower elevations will have bare spots and soft, punchy snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Glide avalanches are the main lingering problem as water continues to drain from the snowpack. Saggy cornices should remain on your radar as well. Visible glide cracks and large cornices are features to avoid traveling beneath. 

    Most wet avalanche activity is probably behind us. If a solid freeze exists underfoot, avalanche danger is more likely on Low. It's a gray area regarding how much of a freeze is needed to fully minimize wet avalanche concerns, as glide avalanches and wet slabs have been known to release despite a bit of a surface freeze. If the freeze is a couple inches thick, that's a good start at reducing the likelihood. 

    Example photo: Avoid traveling beneath large glide cracks if you spot them overhead. 

Avalanche Discussion

Since upper elevations hit above freezing last Friday, we've had about 5 inches of rain in the West Central zone. On Thursday, temperatures finally began to cool. Travel will go from sticky, soggy, and punchy, but up high, hard, frozen surfaces exist. If you make it to upper elevations, expect small drifts of new snow, but there probably won't be enough snow to produce much of an avalanche. 

Neighboring zones reported large and very large wet snow avalanches beginning last Friday and predominantly occurring through the weekend. Avalanches at first were wet loose, before transitioning to wet slab and glide avalanches. We suspect similar activity occurred in the West Central zone. 

Snowpacks are averaging around 50% of what we normally see at this time of year. Creeks are swollen and there's snow lacking in many areas of the lower elevation band. Travel is challenging, and snow surfaces remain wet and punchy at lower and mid-elevations. At upper elevations you can expect to find hard, possibly slick snow surfaces. 

Regions covered