Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Be prepared for a change in conditions as a series of storms move into the region.  Avoid steep slopes where you identify wind drifted snow or that have signs of recent avalanche activity.  Lack of snow and challenging travel still present a significant hazard. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    While fresh snow will create the potential for increased avalanche danger, wind should be the factor that determines the size and likelihood of the most consequential avalanches you encounter. Blowing or drifting snow, scoured snow surfaces on windward slopes, and stiffer, pillowy-looking drifts are all signs that wind slabs lurk nearby. Look for and simply avoid steep terrain where you see signs of active or recent wind loading.

    You might also find unstable snow in wind-sheltered terrain, especially in locations that receive about 1’ or more of new snow or during periods of heavy snowfall. The old surface of crust, firm wind slab, or weak snow should have a poor bond with the cold and dry new snow above.  With continued thin snowpack conditions, avalanche risk will be will depend as much on the terrain in the runout as the size of the actual avalanche. 

    An example of early-season wind loading. Ground cover is visible in scoured areas while thick slabs form from wind loading.

Avalanche Discussion

Welcome to the 2023-2024 season! The much-anticipated change in the weather is here with the first traces of precipitation showing at some weather stations this afternoon. 

While many see Moderate danger as a sign of "safe" conditions, Friday will be the kind of day where you very well might trigger small, soft slab or loose snow avalanches if you venture into steep terrain. The fact that we anticipate mostly smaller (less than D2) avalanches in specific (mostly wind-loaded) terrain is what keeps the danger rating where it is.  In addition, the new snow is forecast to come in light and dry and not expected to make a stiffer slab - except for in wind loaded terrain features.  

Lower elevations hold little to no snow. Travel at mid-elevations is still quite challenging given the thin snowpack. There is 1’-2’ of snow at mid-elevations with the current surface varying between crust, stiff, unreactive wind slab, and soft snow in shaded and sheltered terrain. 

The long stretch of sunny days and clear nights initiated the formation of both facets and surface hoar. Well-developed layers of weak snow have not been widely observed, but avalanche forecast and snowpack uncertainty are higher than usual given limited observations at the start of the season. 

Reported avalanche activity in the last week was limited to small wet avalanches on solar aspects. Observers agreed that the greatest hazard was the meager snowpack. New snow will barely hide some early-season hazards that were clearly visible in recent weeks.

Regions covered