Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Terrian holding wind drifted snow is where you can still trigger an avalanche. Use lower-angle terrain to navigate around steep slopes where you observe active wind loading. Avalanche danger will slowly increase through the day. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong winds and a few inches of new snow will build some smaller wind slabs. The question for Saturday is if the southerly winds will be strong enough to erode away the crust capping a foot or more of soft, dry snow below. If the crust stays intact then wind slabs should stay small and isolated. If the wind wins out then look for bigger and more widespread slab formation - and higher avalanche danger - as the foot of snow from earlier in the week gets redistributed onto leeward slopes.

    Areas of wind slab should be easy to identify - blowing and drifting snow will show where fresh, smooth-looking wind slabs are forming. They might be more reactive where they build over crusts or weak snow currently at the surface. 

    Slab avalanches releasing in new snow layers are still being triggered in wind loaded terrain. There isn't really a way to distinguish where these still exist other than slopes greater than 40 degrees on northerly, wind loaded aspects.  

     

Avalanche Discussion

Observations varied in the zones neighboring West Central. Observers in Snoqualmie Pass found light winds were able to keep upper elevation slopes cool but sticky, wet snow was found lower. Southerly slopes produced good freeze-thaw skiing around noon. Wind slabs were a non-issue. No observations came from Stevens Pass but it was the warmest day there in a few weeks.

Two human trigger slab avalanches were reported from the Baker Backcountry in West North . One was small in size (D1) and triggered on a short but very steep slope on a north aspect at 4900’. The other was bigger at D1.5, had a 6” crown. It was triggered on a northeast aspect at 5300’. A few new wet loose avalanches on southerly aspects were observed late in the day. Dry loose avalanches in steep terrain were observed to still run far. 

On Wednesday numerous wind slab and wet loose avalanches were reported from across West Central and also West North, naturally and also human triggered. Most were on the smaller side of things at D1.5 or less but a few were probably larger. All released at or above the crust interface buried by new snow Tuesday. Slightly older avalanches (D2.5-3) were also reported. Most are suspected of releasing during the big storm and rain event last weekend. 

 

Regions covered