Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Snow surfaces may slightly firm up overnight, as cloud cover will limit a hard freeze. There’s a very small chance that you could trigger wet snow avalanches if any steep areas become very soft and unsupportable. Maintain awareness of a deeply buried week layer found on upper elevation northerly aspects, where a large trigger has a slim possibility of causing a big avalanche.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    3

    A very large natural avalanche occurred in the neighboring West North Zone on what we suspect was the deep persistent layer early Wednesday morning. Snow conditions in the West Central Zone are similar. The avalanche occurred during the final period of warm, wet weather, just as temperatures began cooling. Subsequently, a surface freeze Wednesday night in combination with slowing of moving water in the snowpack may have aided us with making it more difficult to trigger an avalanche on this layer. The suspect layer is 3-4 feet deep on upper elevation northerly aspects. 

    This isn’t really a “manageable” avalanche problem that can be figured out. You are either in the terrain where one of the large, unsurvivable avalanches might occur, or you are not. If you choose to travel in these areas your a simply accepting a slightly higher risk of triggering or being exposed to this problem.

    (3/23/2022) A very large natural avalanche which occurred early Wednesday morning in the West North Zone. Possibly up to a 5' crown. Photo: Kris Stemmler

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    We suspect a wet loose avalanche cycle occurred Monday afternoon into Tuesday when dry snow was initially wetted. A freeze Wednesday night helped to stabilize the snow. Surfaces became firm and the snow was not as reactive as it was a few days ago. Cloud cover Thursday night and Friday means that we probably won’t have as solid a freeze as we did Wednesday night, but the snow is not expected to get nearly as soft as it was earlier in the week. 

    You might find soft, unsupportable snow in steep, rocky areas on Friday. If you’re sinking in as deep as your ankles or more, you might be able to trigger an avalanche, so consider shifting off steep slopes. With cloud cover, expect all aspects to soften equally, but if the cover is thinner, softening may remain limited to southerly aspects. 

    (3/24/2022)

    Wet loose avalanches which probably occurred 3/21-22 during the initial warming and rain in the Stevens Pass area.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

Snow surfaces could be hard and bumpy or soft and sticky, depending on the time of day and cloud cover Friday. There’s a small chance that spring corn conditions may present. Snow cover below 3000ft is getting very sparse. Prepare for a whole variety of conditions on your outing.

Regions covered