Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago.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

Highlights

Higher elevations will see stronger west winds capable of drifting snow into fresh slabs. Avoid steep slopes accumulating blowing snow. A shift toward colder temperatures and continued snowfall should bring more wintry conditions back next week.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Modest amounts of new snow in the forecast shouldn’t add much to avalanche danger on their own. Adding wind to the picture is another story. At mid elevations, the only snow available for transport should be what falls after rainfall switches to snow early in the morning. Slabs at those elevations might be reactive, but not very big. At upper elevations, colder temperatures have kept the snow surface drier, allowing it to drift more easily and for wind slabs to grow thicker.

    Monitor changes in new snow depth and stiffness as you gain elevation or switch aspects. Test slopes and hand pits can help you gauge the bond of new wind slab layers, but the safest bet is to avoid steep slopes on the receiving end of blowing and drifting snow. An added complication is that a small wind slab avalanche could trigger a larger slab failing on older weak layers buried deeper in the snowpack. 

    (4/9/2022)

    Stiff, slabby snow? Check. Cracking? Check. Wind-affected surface? Congratulations, you found a wind slab!

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Warm and wet weather has dominated the central Cascades so far this weekend. Rain has fallen through mid elevations in many areas, saturating the upper snowpack and producing scattered wet avalanche activity.

An NWAC forecaster near Darrington found overall wet conditions on Saturday, with no dry snow at the surface up to about 5500 feet. Numerous rollerballs and one wet avalanche, about D2 in size, had released in the past 24 hours, likely overnight when rainfall was heavier and more consistent. Rollerballs and small wet snow avalanches were very stubborn to trigger. About 2 feet of moist snow sits over crusts from late January and early February, but snowpack tests revealed no layers of concern.

Observers near Snoqualmie Pass reported wet avalanche debris near Source Lake flowing out of the Bryant Peak Couloir, and a large glide release occurred at Alpental. Wet snow and poor riding conditions kept backcountry observations to a minimum on Saturday in West North. The few who were out reported the snow surface simply became wetter with light rainfall, but no new wet avalanches or other signs of instability were noted as of late afternoon.

Regions covered