Avalanche Forecast

Monday will bring a relative break in the weather with decreasing snow showers, decreasing winds, and increasing visibility. While this will allow the avalanche danger to decrease, very dangerous avalanche conditions will continue with the possibility for very large and destructive avalanches.

Wind slabs have been reported at all elevations. Many of these wind deposits are very deep. Wind slabs may step down into older weak layers formed early in the storm and entrain significant amounts of snow allowing avalanche to grow larger than expected.

Warming temperatures Sunday formed storm slabs over the cold light snow from Saturday. Storm slabs will become increasingly difficult to trigger but have the possibility to grow large and travel significant distances.

Extra caution should be taken if traveling in the backcountry on Monday. Natural avalanches are becoming less likely but are not out of the question. Due to significant amounts of new snow, avalanche may become much larger than you might expect. Be aware of overhead terrain where avalanches may run well into the tracks and runouts.

Deep snow exists throughout the Mt Baker area. Snow immersion and tree-well hazards continue to increase and pose significant danger. Maintain constant communication with your travel partners.

A very active weather pattern targeted the Mt Baker area Wednesday through Sunday night. Three to five feet of snow sits above the most recent melt-freeze crust.

High snowfall intensities, warming air temperatures, and strong winds created significant weak layers within the upper snowpack Sunday.  

Strong winds transported snow forming wind slabs on a variety of aspects. Many of these wind slabs are very deep.

Poor visibility limited observations near and above treeline Saturday and Sunday. A natural avalanche cycle likely occurred Sunday but is currently not verified.

Observations

Saturday Mt Baker ski patrol reported generally soft surface snow conditions with limited slab development in sheltered areas. While winds were decreasing, wind transportation from Friday night was observed near treeline.

On Friday, NWAC professionals traveled to near treeline in the Baker backcountry. They avoided exposed terrain above treeline due to potential for large and dangerous wind slabs. Active wind transport and new snow occurring throughout the day redistributed the deep storm snow. There was evidence of a large wind slab avalanche near treeline on a N-facing slope.