Northwest Inland

Carefully assess steep lines for wind slabs and limit exposure to cornices.

• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
• A crust on the surface will help bind the snow together, but may make for tough travel conditions.

Friday night: Possibility of light flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow with light southeast winds. Low of -3 at 1500 m.

Saturday: Clouds clearing with light southeast wind. High of -2 at 1500 m.

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with no new snow expected. Light variable winds and freezing levels rising to 1400 m.

Monday: Sunny with no new snow expected. Light west winds and freezing levels rising to 1500 m.

Several natural wind slab avalanches have been observed this week size 1.5-3, some of them triggered by cornice failures. 

A supportive crust extends into the alpine on all aspects. This crust will likely become moist as the freezing level rises. Wind slabs may be found at high elevations on north and east aspects.

A couple of layers of weak crystals in the upper snowpack appear to be bonding according to recent snowpack tests. Additionally, we suspect that the surface crust will help bridge these layers, further decreasing their likelihood of triggering.

A thick crust 50-80 cm deep which formed in mid-February effectively bridges any underlying instabilities in the lower snowpack.