Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Forecast numbers vary, but if we get over about a half inch of rain Monday night, it's enough water to keep avalanche danger on Considerable. The snowpack won't have had much of a chance to drain and adjust, and large to very large avalanches could still shed. Avoid travel below big, steep slopes, cornices, cliffs, and beneath rocky terrain covered in snow. 

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3

    Overnight rain Monday night will aid in further wetting the snowpack. We're unsure how much precipitation we'll get, and if it only comes out to be a couple tenths of an inch then avalanche danger may be slightly lower.

    Expect shedding to continue, with glide avalanches at the forefront of your concerns. After days of wet loose and wet slab activity, these types of avalanches may have backed off a bit, but all forms of wet avalanche activity remain on the table. No matter the avalanche type, the size and consequence will remain the same - very large, powerful avalanches with thick, wet chunky debris. They are highly unsurvivable. Travel and riding conditions are less than desirable, so there isn’t really much reason to head into steep terrain.

    Glide slabs, falling cornices, and other wet avalanche types all still present a serious danger to backcountry travel - even if you may not notice as much natural activity as there was earlier in the warming. As dry snow continues with its transition to wet snow, a lot of uncertainty remains as to what slopes may still slide or not.  Identify features of concern in the terrain above you like glide cracks and cornices, which are ripe to come down if they haven't yet. Skip travel on or under steep slopes until the snowpack has a chance to drain and temperatures trend more seasonal.

    (1/29/2024)

    A very large wet slab avalanche on the north side of Table Mountain. Note the glide avalanches in the foreground, and additional glide activity and general loss of snow on the rocks everywhere in this photo. 

    Photo: Mount Baker Ski Area

Avalanche Discussion

Days of rain have saturated the snowpack. A quick break from the rain on Monday was a welcome reprieve. With better visibility, several large crown lines and avalanche debris deposits were visible, obvious signs of carnage from the last few days. Most, if not all of these, were wet avalanches.

Temperatures have been above freezing at 5000ft since Friday. In that time, the Heather Meadows weather station has reported 6 inches of water! If you do choose to head to the mountains, expect thick wet snow, open creeks, and less coverage than the last time you were out.

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