Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
Keine Stufe
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Kernpunkte

Inches of rain will fall Sunday night through Monday, and there are existing road closures from washouts and landslides. Expect additional non-avalanche hazards, including more landslides, as rain pours down on Monday. The snowpack has largely adjusted to rain, but a few inches of wind-affected snow at the highest elevations could avalanche with a human trigger if you reach those areas on Monday.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    If you reach upper elevations, treat any newly wind-drifted snow on steep slopes with caution. A few inches of heavy, wind-affected snow may accumulate by Monday, and strong winds will concentrate it in gullies, along ridgelines, and around terrain features. This snow will likely sit on a firm crust, and bonding is uncertain. While cooling temperatures favor a right-side-up structure, wind redistribution may negate that benefit, allowing snow to slide easily on the crust.

    If you find new snow, check how well it’s bonded to the underlying layer. New snow totals will likely be in the range of a few inches, but small temperature changes could mean a much deeper layer of new snow at the highest elevations. Stick to firm surfaces and avoid steep, wind-loaded slopes where even a small slide could have serious consequences.

    Example photo: search for textured surfaces or smooth, pillowlike drifts- probably some of the only soft snow pockets up high on Monday- and steer around them. 

  • Glide Cracks

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    The snowpack at all elevations has already been heavily rained on, but more rain may cause a slight uptick in glide avalanches. Glides could be most active at mid-elevations, but rain reaching upper elevations could also trigger glide or other wet avalanches there. In any new snow that falls at upper elevations, small moist or wet loose avalanches might happen in that snow. 

    Minimize time beneath sagging cornices, wet snow-covered cliffs, and any slopes that look poorly attached. Glide avalanches can occur on slopes of any size, making this a low-likelihood but high-consequence hazard. During this prolonged wet weather, it’s best to avoid traveling below suspect slopes altogether.

    (12/9/2025)

    Recent glide avalanches in the Baker Backcountry. 

    Photo: Zack McGill

Avalanche Discussion

Monday will be a dangerous day in the mountains. Even travel on roads or snow-free trails carries real risk, as ongoing rain and saturated ground make landslides likely during and after this storm. Several key access points are already closed or washed out, including SR 542 beyond Glacier, Glacier Creek Road, and FR 1107 to Anderson Watson Sno-Park. Recent storms have caused devastating impacts in both the mountains and lowlands, and unfortunately, this event may not be over yet.

With access so limited, recent field observations are scarce beyond weather stations. Be prepared to assess avalanche conditions yourself as you enter snow-covered terrain, since rainfall, snow totals, and temperatures can vary widely across the forecast zone. A Saturday observation on Mt. Baker found firm crusts above 6,000 ft, with softer snow only visible well above our zone, evident with wind transport.

Up to 4 inches of rain is expected through Monday, with cooler temperatures arriving Monday night and snow possibly returning to lower elevations soon. Higher elevations continue to hold substantial snow, with over 3 meters observed on Mt. Baker and 3–5+ feet reported by upper-elevation weather stations.

With the warm start to the 25-26 winter season, we have less snowpack information than usual to start daily forecast operations. For zones and elevation bands with less snow than needed for avalanche hazard, we will issue a forecast with No Rating. Anticipated avalanche and weather conditions will still be updated daily. NWAC will issue an avalanche danger rating for a zone when enough snow to produce avalanches has accumulated at middle and upper elevations.

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