West Slopes North

Warmer temperatures, increasing winds, and cloudy skies are expected on Tuesday ahead of precipitation Tuesday night. Snow may soften, but wind could keep surfaces firm—bring crampons and an ice axe for steep terrain. Avalanche danger is low, but stay alert for cornices, glide cracks, and snow or rockfall off cliffs.

Tuesday is our last dry day before incoming precipitation. Avalanche danger remains Low for now. Across most of the zone, firm crusts and refrozen snow surfaces are keeping the snow locked in place, with minimal avalanche concerns. Freezing levels rise to around 7,000 feet Tuesday, with increasing winds and overcast skies. Warmer temperatures and cloud cover may allow for broader surface softening than we’ve seen lately—though strong winds could keep surfaces firm in many areas.

If snow softens more than expected, there’s a small chance of snow shedding from cliffs or, less likely, a glide avalanche on steep, smooth rock slabs where glide cracks already exist. Any movement we see Tuesday would fall under general mountain travel hazards. Identify overhead terrain and manage your exposure. Watch for glide cracks, lumpy or wrinkled snow beneath cliffs, sagging cornices, and anything that looks poorly bonded to the mountain.

Even without avalanches, travel remains challenging. Slick, hard snow surfaces have led to several uncontrolled sliding incidents in the Cascades over the past week. If you’re heading into steeper terrain, consider bringing ski or boot crampons and a self-arrest tool.

Surface faceting has been observed on shady terrain, though conditions have generally been too dry for significant surface hoar formation, except in moist terrain such as areas near open water. THIS observation from the Baker backcountry on Monday summarizes conditions quite well. Forecast models still vary, but precipitation is expected to begin Tuesday night and continue for several days. Avalanche danger will likely rise once several inches of new snow land on this firm crust.