Avalanche Forecast
Jan 27th, 2019–Jan 28th, 2019
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
Stevens Pass.
The Bottom Line: Expect more warm temperatures and sun. If you are heading to upper elevations or less traveled terrain, take time to assess the snow. Avalanches may be possible in isolated or extreme terrain.
Snow and Avalanche Discussion
Warming of the snow surface has a few concerns on our minds. You could trigger isolated loose wet avalanches on sunny slopes with extreme, rocky terrain or areas of shallow snow. If you sink to the top of your boots in wet snow, it's time to move to more supportive, cooler snow. Additionally, cornices commonly fall with prolonged warming. Limit your exposure and avoiding traveling on or below these features.
Monday will be another day of warm temperatures and sun. You may still find soft, wet snow on steep sunny slopes. Most loose wet avalanches you will see are at least a few days old or from a rain event on the 23rd. A number of factors will help keep snow surfaces slightly more frozen on Monday. Air temperatures should drop a bit and an easterly wind will cool the surface snow.
Check out the Regional Synopsis tab for details on the last weeks storm and avalanche activity.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.