Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sat
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Kernpunkte

Expect increasing wet avalanche concerns on sun-exposed slopes as temperatures rise on Friday. Avoid travel on or directly under slopes where you see rolling balls of snow, small wet avalanches, or where the snow is becoming mushy and wet. In the alpine, watch for isolated areas of wind-drifted snow

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    A “slow bake” pattern seems to have kept wet avalanche activity to a steady trickle, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. More sun and warmer temperatures on Friday could bump things up—or not. Expect variability across the zone and watch for signs that wet avalanche activity is increasing. As usual, larger avalanches are possible on long fall-line slopes or in big alpine terrain.

    Be cautious about committing to terrain where your exit requires crossing steep, sun-exposed slopes or traveling under overhead hazards. If you find conditions warmer than expected, adjust early—before your options shrink.

    (4/16/2026)

    Rollerballs are often a precursor to natural wet loose avalanches. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    There have been few observations of wind-transported snow—or even wind—in the main portions of the forecast zone, but chances are it’s a different story along the eastern edge of the forecast zone near the Cascade Crest. Look for signs of previous wind transport like fresh cornices, scoured snow, and changes in surface texture or stiffness. Most wind slabs should be small, but even a small slab could have high consequences in steep alpine terrain.

    (4/3/2026)

    Keep an eye on steep, unsupported, and wind-loaded features if you are headed east toward Glacier Peak, or just alpine terrain in general.

    Photo: Harrison Brickman - Bellingham Mtn Rescue

Avalanche Discussion

Most areas on the west side of the Cascades picked up another 2–6 inches of dry new snow overnight into Thursday morning. Observations from West Central and West North on Thursday pointed to a generally stable snowpack, with loose snow avalanches as the main concern. In West Central, an NWAC forecaster found about 2 feet of recent snow at upper elevations with a mostly right-side-up structure and good bonding to the underlying crust. The snow surface became wetter through the day, but no wet loose avalanches were triggered. In alpine terrain on Shuksan, no slab instabilities or fresh wind slabs were observed, though human-triggered dry loose avalanches were running far in steep, fall-line terrain. 

On Wednesday, the 1–2 feet of new snow was found to be well-bonded, with most avalanche activity limited to steep, unsupported terrain. Loose dry avalanches were common during and just after the storm but became harder to trigger through the day. Even brief sun breaks were enough to produce rollerballs and small wet loose avalanches on sun-exposed slopes. Wind effects were present but subtle, with isolated areas of drifted snow near ridgelines.

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