Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Pay close attention to conditions as temperatures rise heading into the weekend. Look for wet loose avalanches that could be triggered naturally or by people. Stay off slopes or areas beneath them if you spot fresh rollerballs or small avalanches. Don't linger below cornices, glide cracks, or unstable snow clinging to cliff faces.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Thursday should bring a better chance of getting a real shot of sun after a few days of mixed clouds, sunbreaks, and precipitation. Temperatures are not forecast to be especially high but will still be above freezing. West Central has also received the most new snow compared to other forecast zones so there is just more of it to react to warmer conditions. 

    Human-triggered wet loose avalanches should be just as likely as natural avalanches. Use caution navigating around steep terrain where you find wet, mushy snow. The higher sun angles of April mean wet most slopes can pick up additional warming  from the sun.

    (4/19/2022)

    There is a greater chanche of seeing shallow or small wet loose avalanches on the day gets warmer and the snow gets wetter.

Avalanche Discussion

With a regime of warmer temperatures and sun also comes an increased chance of seeing renewed cornice fall, glide avalanches, or other wet-snow-shedding-from-steep-terrain events. They are unlikely and should be very limited in distribution, but you don’t want to be in the way. It’s worth noting that these types of avalanches frequently trigger a larger one on the slope below. Take extra care if heading into bigger alpine terrain as the day warms.

Observations tend to get scarce on weekdays in spring with no new snow. Fresh wind slabs with firm crust were reported from Granite Mountain in Snoqualmie Pass. Stevens was a bit less exciting, where a moistening snow surface still didn’t allow for natural or human-triggered avalanches. With warming today, expect crust Thursday morning that breaks down by midday. In general, there is less recent snow above the late March crust the farther north you go in the Cascades. 

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