West Slopes South

If you're heading to the hills, you'll find generally safe avalanche conditions on Saturday. That doesn't mean slides can't occur - unusual weather has the potential to create unusual avalanches. But travel conditions, such as open holes or firm crusts, will be the primary hazards you'll need to navigate.

Prepare for a gorgeous weekend in the mountains. Bright sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures will be the dominant weather, but areas closer to the crest may experience some easterly winds. It's been like this for several days now as we distance ourselves from an atmospheric river at the tail end of last weekend.

This week, clear winter nights have provided sufficient radiational cooling to form a firm surface crust, creating slick and potentially dangerous travel conditions in the morning hours. On slopes that receive direct sunshine, this surface crust has softened or even broken down in some places during the late morning to early afternoon. Other locations have remained firm throughout the day.  Expect similar conditions on Saturday, except that those easterly winds may help keep the surface firmer for longer.

The surface crust has kept wet avalanche activity largely in check, resulting in generally safe avalanche conditions. However, there are still a few things to keep in mind if you head to the mountains this weekend. 

• Don't rule out being able to push a wet slide on steep, sun-exposed slopes if you're sinking into wet snow past your ankle.
• In isolated locations, blobs of snow may fall from rocky ledges, or sagging cornices could fail. These events are unlikely, but could have high consequences if they were to occur. Keep aware of terrain above you at all times.
• High on the volcanoes, the warmth could allow for blocks of ice to fall. Similar to the cornice collapses and shed-style slides above, these events are unlikely and would likely occur above our forecast zone. All the same, keep aware of what's above you. 

Overall, snowpack depth has decreased over the past week due to the rain and sunshine. Compared to the 30-year average, we're currently right around 50% of normal in our zone. That has resulted in natural hazards persisting longer into this winter than usual. Open lakes and creeks pose a danger to travelers. Holes, rocks, and stumps create obstacles to avoid. If you encounter firm surfaces, slide-for-life conditions may exist. Bring the right tools required to travel safely and know how to use them.