Bollettino valanghe

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
1 · Debole
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

Lingering pockets of upper-elevation wind slabs are where you could still trigger an avalanche on Saturday. Search out thicker drifts in gullies, below ridgelines, and around features, and bypass steep terrain with this recently drifted snow. Depending on cloud cover and snow conditions, wet loose avalanches may occur on steep slopes on the southerly portion of the compass as the sun intensifies midday. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1

    Your main concerns on Saturday are lingering slabs on above treeline steep slopes. In many areas these are more likely to be present on shady aspects, as the sun may have formed a crust limiting small slab avalanche activity on south-facing terrain. Slabs will probably be shallow, around 6 inches deep, however, there is a small chance that you could trigger a deeper slide in an isolated pocket where wind loading could have deposited thicker slabs. If you end up in wind-loaded terrain where you notice thicker, heavier deposits of snow, navigate around convexities or other steep features. Don't forget that even if an avalanche is small, if you're in high-consequence terrain, that small avalanche may be enough to cause serious damage. 

    (1/27/2023)

    Small wind slab avalanches in high consequence terrain on the east-facing aspect of Video Peak in the Baker backcountry on Friday. At least some appear to have been human-triggered. Note the textured, wind-affected surfaces on the lower-angle terrain. Also of note is the variable cloud cover surrounding Baker. You may encounter conditions similar to this on Saturday. 

    Photo: Jason Speer - The Mountaineers

Avalanche Discussion

Wet loose avalanches may occur on Saturday. South-facing aspects in many locations around the zone will start the day with a crust after seeing the sun on Friday. Temperatures will be cooler, but if the sun is intense it could melt through the crust and wet loose avalanches could actively occur on steep, south-facing slopes midday. Pay attention to your surroundings, and if you start noticing the snow get heavy and wet, or see rollerballs starting to come down, wet loose avalanches could follow.

We received about half an inch of water, or 6 inches of snow, Thursday night at the Heather Meadows weather station. Lighter winds than expected occurred, and warm temperatures helped strengthen the snow quickly. Fewer reactive slabs were present than originally suspected. People mainly found sluffs, or small loose dry avalanches in steep shady terrain, which you could probably find on Saturday as well. A few D1 (small) slab avalanches were reported in the Baker backcountry on shady terrain, mainly human or sluff-triggered. 

Regioni coperte