Bulletin d’avalanche

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Wed
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré last year. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Recent snow and significant winds could form a few slabs, particularly at higher elevations and on the volcanoes. Blowing snow and scoured slopes can help you anticipate wind loaded features. Give pillow-like slabs a wide berth in high consequence terrain.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–1.5

    Recent wind slabs over the past few days haven’t been very eye-catching. They’ve often been smaller and hard to trigger due to the mild temperatures. We expect more of the same on Tuesday. However, higher in the terrain where it’s colder or in places that received more snow, like Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens, things may be a bit dicier. 

    Watch for firmer and thicker slabs near the base of cliffs, in the tops of chutes, and below sharp cornices. With winds shifting to the NW, you might see some strange loading patterns and slabs forming in unusual places. 

    Even if we don’t think this problem will be very common or easy to trigger, take a moment to consider the consequences before crossing a steep wind loaded feature.

    (3/28/2025)

    Obvious signs of wind transported snow. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Sure feels like spring in the mountains. Snow showers, breezy, mild, and the occasional sun break… The West South shouldn't see more than a healthy dusting (1-2 inches) of snow Monday night and Tuesday. But, many locations have picked up 8-12 inches of snow at middle and upper elevations since last Thursday. No, that’s not a lot of new snow, but it helps keep the surface soft and the trees white. 

The big question (and ongoing forecaster conversation) continues to be around the possibility of spring shed-style avalanches. These cornice, glide, wet slab, and blobs of snow slides are hard to predict but can be very large and deadly. The March Atmospheric River (AR) crust is becoming stronger and stronger. Additionally, recent water is working its way out of the snowpack. Both of these factors help decrease the likelihood of a wet avalanche. However, never trust a wet, punchy snowpack. Don’t linger under rocky slopes holding snow or beneath looming cornices. 

For most of the zone, skies should remain cloudy on Tuesday. However, the sun loves to make an unannounced appearance in the spring. This would be most likely near Crystal Mt and Mt Adams. If the sun comes out, expect the recent snow to slide downhill. You could see a natural wet loose slides. Fortunately, they should be on the smaller side. 

At lower elevations, the snowpack is thinning quickly. Open creeks, exposed logs, and plenty of tree debris are becoming common. Give yourself time for these travel hazards.

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