Bollettino valanghe

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Mon
Alta quota
4 · Forte
Limite del bosco
4 · Forte
Sotto il limite
3 · Marcato
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 2 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Rainfall and stormy conditions will start tapering off, but large natural avalanches are still likely. Avoid traveling on or below any slope that can produce an avalanche. Be especially aware of cliffs and cornices that can shed snow and trigger a larger avalanche below.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Very Likely
    Dimensione
    2–3

    Wet slab avalanches are said to be the hardest type to forecast, and Sunday is no exception. The heaviest rainfall should end overnight, but there will still be some rain and plenty of water already draining through and weakening the snowpack. Temperatures should fall a bit overnight and then rise again with another round of afternoon precipitation. The quantity of natural avalanche activity should diminish some, but those that do release will still be quite dangerous. Not to mention there is no way to figure out which slope or cornice will be the next to go. 

    The best you can do is just stay out of the way. Big slopes are the ones that can produce big avalanches. Cliffs and cornices should continue to shed snow that could trigger a larger avalanche below. Expect to see some combination of wet slab, glide, loose wet, and cornice fall avalanches by the end of the weekend. Wet, soggy, or sticky snow might make for difficult travel conditions at low and mid-elevations.

    (2/16/2025)

    Wet avalanches can run long distances into terrain with minimal snow cover.

Avalanche Discussion

With an overnight drop in snow levels, dry-ish snow will fall, and fresh slabs will form, especially on wind loaded slopes. Unfortunately, the rain-snow line is forecast to push back into upper-elevation terrain in the afternoon. You might find some fun riding conditions first thing in the morning. Given continued wet avalanche activity, the dangers of moving into anything resembling real terrain are, well, real. If you do head out, pick and stick to low-angled slopes with little exposure to steeper terrain above.

The storm hit a bit of a snag moving towards the West Central forecast zone. This resulted in a delay in heavy precipitation that also likely kept the largest avalanches in check until late afternoon. Light precipitation and rising temperatures - 38F at 5000' - ruled most of the day. It's safe to assume some amount of wet avalanche activity occurred during the day as observers in Snoqualmie Pass reported numerous avalanches, and that zone saw similar rainfall and temperatures. 

As the storm ramped up, the Decline Creek snotel in West Central picked up 0.3" of rain, and Skookum Creek saw 0.4" in the hour between 4 and 5pm. Heavy rain and natural avalanche activity came sooner to West North, where debris from large avalanches was spotted below the northwest side of Shuskan around midday. 

 

 

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