Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Since Friday, multiple rounds of precipitation, fluctuating freezing levels, and strong winds have continuously impacted the West South. Recent avalanches and shooting cracks have been reported and are an indication that the snowpack needs time to heal. If you notice these signs on Monday, avoid slopes over 35 degrees.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    The West South has seen several rounds of precipitation and fluctuating freezing levels since Friday afternoon. Another round is on our doorstep Sunday evening, ready to add depth over the 2/3 interface. Once again, the bulk of the precipitation should be focused on the volcanoes, but you could find mid-storm or interstorm instabilities regardless of your location in the zone. And of course, with windy and stormy conditions, you will need to still be aware of wind-loaded features where you have a higher chance of triggering an avalanche. Using quick hand pits as you travel to check the depth of the new snow and how it has bonded is a great way to keep tabs on how the storm is unfolding. Small test slopes or uptrack tests can give you an indication of how the new snow is reacting to your weight. If you notice it failing in blocks or determine that there is a poor bond, you should avoid slopes over 35 degrees.  

    (2/5/2023)

    Multiple shallow Storm Slabs were triggered by skiers on convex slopes near Paradise on 2/5. [W 5600']

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday was a fairly active day in the West South zone. The storm overproduced for areas such as Mount St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and White Pass. Although we lack direct observations from these areas, observations from Mt. Hood indicate that slabs were failing deeply and easily. We suspect conditions may have been similar on our southern volcanoes. 

Up at Mount Rainier, avalanche professionals near Paradise reported triggering several shallow Storm Slabs while observing multiple naturals of the same size and character. For the second day in a row, shooting cracks within the new storm snow were observed by skiers. Avalanche professionals in the Crystal Mountain area reported no new avalanches and a generally strong upper snowpack. Lower elevations had some heavier and wetter snow, but no wet avalanches. In areas that continue to receive less precipitation such as Crystal Mountain, there’s a chance you could find some locally lower hazard on Monday.

As alluded to above, the amount of snow since Friday (2/3 interface) varies around the zone. This is where you should focus your attention, you could find some lingering weak snow at its base. You're more likely to find a crust that could make a good bed surface for avalanches to run on. At Paradise, the 2/3 will likely be 1-1.5 feet below the surface on Monday. Similar or even greater depths may be found on the southern volcanoes. Over near the crest, it may be closer to 8-12 inches down. 

An even larger storm pulse arrives on Monday night into Tuesday and will likely result in more widespread avalanche activity. We may start thinking about some of those deeper layers between the 2/3 and MLK crust if this turns into a doozy.

Regions covered