Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A new skiff of snow and some moderate winds won’t be enough to alter avalanche conditions on Tuesday. Keep an eye out for unstable pockets of wind-drifted snow at mid to upper elevations. Keep natural hazards on your radar when choosing terrain, they could make a run-of-the-mill fall more costly. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    If you’re going to trigger an avalanche on Tuesday, it will likely be in wind-loaded terrain at upper elevations. Multiple Wind Slabs were triggered by humans over the weekend. Most occurred on convex slopes or near ridgelines where the wind likes to deposit the snow into deeper piles. Additional areas where you could find a Wind Slab include the base of cliffs or in confined gullies. Take a look for freshly built cornices, smooth “pillow-like” piles of snow, or textured surfaces to help you determine which way the wind was blowing in your location. This can help key you into aspects where you’re more likely to find a Wind Slab. If you notice that the snow surface has become firm and hollow feeling, then you have likely found a wind-loaded pocket.

    (12/3/2022)

    This skier-triggered slab near Paradise caught and carried an individual for a short distance on 12/3. No burial or injuries were reported.

    Photo: Sarah Ehm

Avalanche Discussion

NWAC weather stations around the West South showed a decrease in overall snow depth on Monday, indicating that the snowpack is consolidating and gaining strength after a week of stormy weather. On Tuesday, you should expect a few snow showers and some moderate winds. Near the crest, you could experience some stronger gusts capable of moving snow around. Generally speaking, it should be a pretty benign day as we await more exciting weather later this week.

This relative lull is a good time to collect information about the zone and the lower snowpack out ahead of the next storm cycle. We currently are tracking two buried crusts (11/4 and 11/22) that have been associated with some weaker snow throughout much of the zone. We do not currently have any confirmed avalanches near these crusts or believe they are in play for causing slides in the near term. However, Crystal Mountain Pro Patrol did trigger some deeper avalanches during mitigation work late last week that may have involved one of these layers. That said, the season is still young and we are in the process of collecting more information throughout our large zone. You should do the same by taking some time to look at the snow and make a hazard assessment for yourself before committing to a slope.

When choosing terrain, think about the consequences of being caught, even in a small slide. There are still plenty of bushes, stumps, creeks, and open holes out there that could ruin your season. Multiple observations from both professionals and recreationalists confirm that travel conditions are still in the early season stage, especially at lower elevations.

Regions covered