Bulletin d’avalanche

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Fri
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 7 months ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Fresh snow and wind will increase your chances of finding a wind slab on Thursday. Areas of particular wind exposure and increased snowfall will be the most suspect, especially at upper elevations on the volcanoes. Rain at lower and middle elevations may allow for some small, and isolated, wet avalanche activity. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slab hazard will build on Thursday as snowfall continues and winds strengthen further. Your chances of finding one will increase as you climb in elevation, and enter more wind exposed areas. The volcanoes, as usual, will see the most precipitation and wind, thus bigger wind slabs could develop there. Fortunately, these slabs are only made up of the snow we're receiving now, keeping their size on the smaller end. That being said, even small avalanches can take you off your feet and get you hurt.

    The best way to avoid wind loaded slopes, is identifying suspect features and aspects. Use visual clues like cornice growth, and wind lips to point you in the direction of loading. If you notice an area has unusually deep, dense snow, it's probably a product of wind loading. If in doubt, avoid terrain downwind of ridges and cliff bands, and seek out wind sheltered or lower angle terrain. 

    (1/3/2026)

    Visual clues of recent wind loading and pillow shaped slabs.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Snowfall returned to the West South on Wednesday, applying a thin coat of paint over the beat-up, crusty surfaces of the past. Paradise weather station is in the lead, recording 5 inches since Tuesday night. Snowfall will continue into Thursday, with greater snow amounts expected as compared to Wednesday. A warming trend will accompany this next round, pushing rain into middle elevation bands. We don’t anticipate rain to reach far into the upper elevations on Thursday, but with how warm this winter has been, there’s still a chance.

With the increase in rain comes the possibility of wet loose avalanche activity, mainly at middle elevations. Fortunately, any wet activity should be small and isolated to areas of deeper new snow coverage. With such minimal new snow at low elevations, avalanche hazard will remain low.

Backcountry travel has been pretty rough as of recent, and this first round of new snow probably won't help much. If anything, it will marginally conceal the numerous rocks, dirt, and logs that were at the surface on Tuesday. If you're itching to get out on the fresh snow, it's probably best to look for areas of deeper, more consistent, coverage prior to the new snow.

Régions couvertes