Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

You can still trigger a wind slab avalanche on steep slopes directly below ridgelines. Chances are these avalanches will be shallow but you'll still want to use caution around terrain traps like cliff bands, gullies and anywhere else the consequences of a smaller avalanche would be amplified. Shifting winds at higher elevations may have formed new wind slabs on a variety of aspects. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A few shallow natural and human triggered wind slab avalanches were observed on Tuesday.  These avalanches were small and triggered directly below ridgelines.  It's a rinse and repeat for Wednesday; you'll want to steer around steep entrances with firmer wind-loaded snow near and above treeline for another day.

    Aspects that were wind-loaded early Tuesday may look slightly different on Wednesday.  Northerly alpine winds were redistributing snow on the higher peaks through late Tuesday morning.  Look for visual clues like fresh drifts, sharp cornices and other wind-sculpted features to help determine which slopes may be loaded.  

    It's been several days since the last reported avalanche on a deeper weak layer but it's still worth thinking about as you travel through the backcountry.  Infrequent avalanches have occurred on a subtle weak layer over a crust 2-4' down in wind-loaded terrain near and above treeline. Most of the avalanche activity on this layer occurred Wednesday, 2/8, but an avalanche was reported late in the day Saturday 2/11 in Canyon Creek, remotely triggered by a snowmobile. The large avalanche occurred on a 5400' north-facing slope, and was 2 feet deep. 

    (2/14/2023)

    Small skier triggered wind slab avalanche directly below ridgeline in the Bagley L. area. 

    Photo: Lee Lazzara

Avalanche Discussion

Besides a few wind slab avalanches on Tuesday,  small dry loose avalanches were reported on steep shady terrain and widespread rollerballs and small wet loose avalanches (up to D1.5) were observed on steep sunny aspects.  With more cloud cover expected Wednesday afternoon and since many steep southerlies have already shed, you're less likely to encounter a wet loose avalanche problem Wednesday.  If you do encounter rollerballs, tree bombs or find yourself sinking into the surface snow more than a few inches,  start to think about changing aspects and/or moving to lower angled terrain. 

Avalanche activity on Monday was mainly limited to the new snow layers above the crust which formed at the start of the last storm. The crust is present up to around 5000 - 5500ft. The Heather Meadows weather station at Mt Baker received 1.5" of water with this last storm, but many other locations may have received less than an inch of water. Over half of the water fell as rain below 4000ft, but at higher elevations the snow totals that came out of this storm should be much higher. 

Regions covered