Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Easter Sunday will present us with the most sun we've seen in a while, and freezing levels are forecasted to rise to 5000 feet by evening. Breakable crusts are present on all aspects aside from north, but they could moisten with the warmer, sunnier weather and we could get wet snow avalanches. Uncertainty exists as to how many wet avalanches will run, but evaluate conditions as you travel, and when you start sinking into moist snow or see avalanches coming down, shift to lower angle terrain or shadier aspects. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    A breakable crust is present on the southern half of the compass.  The crust and the underlying snow could soften enough so that we'll get wet loose avalanches on Sunday.  The day progressively warms, so the danger will increase as time continues. If avalanches happen, they could wrap further around the compass, but hopefully still sparing the north-facing terrain. We are unsure how reactive the snow will get as the day warms- we could see many wet loose avalanches, or, the snow which previously had a crust could stay stubborn and react minimally. 

    As you travel, pay attention to the crust, making note of how much it is softening. When the snow is moist enough that the crust has entirely broken down and the snow is damp and sticky, start thinking about your travel options. If you're sinking ankle-deep into wet snow, retreat to lower angle terrain. If you see any wet avalanches beginning to come down on their own, stay off steep slopes and the terrain beneath them. 

    You might see natural small wet loose avalanches like these on Sunday. You could also possibly trigger them if you are on a steep, moist-snow slope.

    Photo: Alyssa Young

Avalanche Discussion

Previously, north-facing terrain was hanging onto dry, low-density powder. It's unclear whether that will remain the case throughout Sunday. If warming is more than expected, the north-facing terrain could easily run as wet loose avalanches, as it was previously low-density snow. We don't expect this to occur. However, keep tabs on the snow if you do travel on north-facing terrain and if it starts getting moist, stay off steep areas. If the north-facing snow stays dry, remain alert to triggering loose dry avalanches. There may also be isolated wind slabs along ridgelines and on leeward sides of features in upper elevation terrain. With both loose dry and wind slabs, any avalanches you trigger probably wouldn't be large enough to bury you, but if you're in high consequence terrain and get knocked off your feet, they could still be dangerous. 

Surface hoar which formed in the last couple days may still exist on northerly aspects. We're expecting to get snow Monday, possibly burying the surface hoar. We might see enough snow for a slab to fail on buried surface hoar, something we're keeping on our radar looking forward. If you're out enjoying the late winter conditions on Easter weekend, don't hesitate to flick us an observation on THIS page. Whether you see avalanches or not, we'd be happy to get information and/or photos- of a crust, low density snow, surface hoar, or something else relevant to snow and avalanches. 

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