Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You could trigger an avalanche on wind loaded features that exist on near and above treeline slopes on Sunday. Pay attention to changes in the snow as you travel, and steer around steep slopes where you notice hollow, heavier drifted snow or identify thicker snow pillows.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds are forecasted to slightly increase overnight before decreasing Sunday. Wind slab avalanches are a concern, as near and above treeline slopes have plenty of low-density snow to redistribute and form into thicker drifts.  It may be harder to identify locations that are wind affected, as there may be lighter snow on top, hiding the smoother or textured visual clues typical of wind slabs. The drifts could be very soft, a subtle change from lower-density nearby areas.

    You can usually expect to find wind slabs just beneath ridgelines, around rocky outcropping, in gullies, or on steep rollovers.  Getting out on one steep slope successfully might not mean the neighboring one will act the same. Make sure to evaluate your surroundings constantly, and consider quickly changing your plans when you encounter differences in the snow from what you expect to see. Have an escape route planned.  Even a small avalanche could be dangerous if there is a terrain trap beneath you. When in doubt, stick to lower angle terrain. 

    (12/3/2022) Cracking and small slabs breaking loose are indicators of weak snow under a slab. Maybe they're small in one spot, but if you step out a little further into a deeper drift, they could all of a sudden be surprisingly large and take you for a ride.  Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Enough sun may have shone Saturday afternoon that small rollerballs or wet loose avalanches could have run on steep, south-facing terrain.  Increasing cloud cover means we don't expect to see as much of this on Sunday, however, you might find crusts on southerly aspects. Meanwhile, you could still trigger small sluffs, or dry loose avalanches on steep terrain where low-density snow still exists. 

We've generally found a stable snowpack, aside from newer surface instabilities in the area. However, we don't have a clear picture of the entire snowpack yet, and in some areas throughout the Cascades, weaker snow has been found around crusts near the ground.  There are still higher risks of hitting trees and rocks since we don't have a deep coating of snow yet. Information about the snowpack is limited, so if you are out in the mountains, let us know what you encounter by submitting an observation. 

 

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