Bulletin d’avalanche

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
Voir sur la carte

Danger d’avalanche

Wed
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
Open full map
Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 3 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Avalanche potential should be limited to high-elevation terrain, particularly on the volcanoes. Elsewhere, you’re more likely to find numerous natural hazards and difficult travel conditions. They’ll increase the consequences of a slip, trip, or slide on what would otherwise be benign slopes.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    If you travel to the higher bounds of our upper elevation band, you could encounter dry snow capable of producing avalanches. The volcanoes and tops of the highest peaks along the crest are likely the only areas where dry snow could exist. These slides will be more likely on slopes over 35 degrees, near rocky features, or in wind-loaded terrain. Take a moment to dig down and look for heavy snow over weaker snow or interfaces of concern where snowpack tests repeatedly fail to help identify areas to avoid.

    A small skier triggered slab avalanche in steep rocky terrain.

    Photo: Shane Robinson

Avalanche Discussion

On Monday, NWAC forecasters were out along the crest at Crystal Mountain and White Pass. They found a breakable crust with moist and dry snow below in both locations. Rain runnels and avalanche debris littered the landscape as a reminder of the atmospheric river event we experienced over the weekend. No new avalanches were observed.

We expect the snow surface to continue to stiffen, thus stabilizing the snowpack from the top down. The short December days and a gradual increase in easterly winds should also help despite the “warm” weather.  Although unlikely, a rogue wet avalanche can't be fully ruled out. Put these slides on your mind anywhere you're sinking into wet snow past your ankle.

The missing bit of information is from high-elevation terrain, specifically on the volcanoes, where snow fell instead of rain. We can only speculate that you’ll find a more winterlike atmosphere in these areas with the potential for dry snow avalanches. Are you going up into the alpine during this spell of nice weather? Let us know what you see by submitting an observation.

You’ll likely find challenging travel conditions in the mountains right now. Low snow coverage, open creeks, holes, and exposed rocks/bushes are now joined by potentially firm surfaces as obstacles for you to manage. 

Régions couvertes