Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Keep your eyes open for firm and textured surfaces that may indicate new and unstable wind drifted snow. If you suspect the wind loaded a terrain feature, go around, and look for less wind-affected slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    At mid and upper elevations there’s plenty of snow for the wind to blow around and form new slabs. On Saturday the wind was already transporting this snow into firm thin drifts near Crystal Mountain. We anticipate this to continue into Sunday morning. At upper elevations and on bigger features some of these new slabs may become deep and produce large avalanches. To avoid the hazard, look for clues such as fresh cornices and textured snow surfaces to help you identify potentially wind loaded slopes. Steer around these wind drifted features and seek out less wind affected terrain.

    (1/9/2021) Textured snow surfaces and blowing snow are great clues that wind slabs may exist on the slope below. Crystal Mountain.

Avalanche Discussion

You may find a few inches of new snow around the West-South zone by Sunday morning. With this weakening storm, the volcanoes stand to see the highest snow totals, but all accumulations should stay modest. On its own, this new snow shouldn’t pose much risk. It will need to combine with recent snow since Friday and the wind to create any real hazard. 

While we anticipate the greatest avalanche risk to stay within the recent snow, the West South just emerged from a week-long storm cycle. Plenty of uncertainty lingers about the upper snowpack and how it changed over the last few days. Our uncertainty remains greatest at upper elevations and on the volcanoes where we have limited recent observations. If you take the time to dig, two interfaces continue to stay on our minds. About 12-18 inches (30-45cm) below the surface you may see a subtle storm interface (1/5). Snowpack tests this week failed on this layer and it is suspected in many of the natural avalanches observed on Thursday. If you dig deeper, you may find a thin crust on all aspects to at least 6800’ that formed and was buried on New Years Day. Several very large avalanches likely failed at or near this 1/1 crust during the brunt of the storms. If you have observations about these layers or any avalanches please take the time to submit an observation and let us know what you find. 

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, continue to follow the latest guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. Avoid unnecessary risks that could impact first responders and stress medical resources.  Wear a mask when appropriate, practice social distancing, and consider recreating closer to home.

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