Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Stormy conditions and poor visibility could make navigating bigger, more open terrain difficult. You can trigger a slab avalanche in wind-drifted snow at higher elevations. Avoid being on or directly under steep terrain at lower elevations if it’s raining or the snow is thick, mushy, and wet.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Avalanche danger should increase throughout the day with moderate winds and snowfall. You are most likely to trigger a slab avalanche on slopes with recent wind drifting. But you might still find one in sheltered and shaded terrain where new snow accumulates over a weak snow surface - or if there is just more snow than forecast.

    Blowing and drifting snow will point the way toward slopes that are loading up the fattest with new snow. Changes in snow depth and stiffness can also help identify areas with more wind loading. Test slopes, hand pits, and stomping on wind-drifted features can help you guage stability. Move to simpler and lower-angled terrain if you observe widespread signs of instability or natural or human-triggered avalanches.

    (3/8/2024)

    Test slopes in wind-drifted terrain produced shooting cracks and small slabs on Friday near Swift Creek.

    Photo: Adam Ü

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    With enough rain and wet snow, you could see rollerballs and small wet avalanches at lower elevations. They might also be a thing at mid-elevations if snow levels are higher than forecast. Natural wet loose avalanches tend to initiate in cliffy or treed terrain. You can also get wet snow moving downhill with you when descending steep slopes. 

    (3/8/2024)

    Warming produced fresh rollerballs in the Baker BC on Friday.

    Photo: Julz Holder - Grounding Truth

Avalanche Discussion

NWAC is devastated to report the death of one of our Avalanche Forecasters, Matt Primomo. Tragically, Matt passed away in a non-avalanche accident away from work on Thursday, March 7th. Matt has been a key member of the NWAC family since 2017. His life in the mountains touched so many people. We are absolutely heartbroken. Please join us as we mourn this immense loss with Matt’s family, friends, and community.

Discussion: 

Friday was reported as a typical transition day between calmer weather in the last week and the next round of storms. Snowfall was minimal but strong winds built small, reactive slabs. A rise in temperatures before the storm moistened the snow surface enough to see rollerballs. No significant avalanches were reported as of Friday afternoon.

Besides fresh slabs of new and wind-drifted snow, the main factor affecting stability going into the weekend is how much surface hoar survived the first round of wind and increasing temperatures. With wind gusts well into the 30s and mid-elevation temperatures near freezing, it’s likely that much of it blew away or melted down. On the other hand, West North is a big zone and some surface hoar will survive in sheltered areas that stayed a bit cooler.

There is anywhere from 4-12’ of snow over the Early Feburary Crust depending on aspect, elevation and exposure to wind and sun. Forecast zones to the east and north have seen continued avalanche activity at this or other weak interfaces slightly higher in the snowpack. West North mostly escaped dealing with it other than widespread natural and control work triggered avalanches during and immediately after the biggest storm from Febraury 28th to March 1st. Those many feet of snow have been observed as well-settled, right-side-up in structure, and have no layers of concern.

Regions covered