Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Steer clear of slopes below snowy cliffs, wrinkled or lumpy snow, glide cracks, and cornices. As temperatures stay warm, glide avalanches and chunks of falling snow can still release without warning.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Glide avalanches initiating in steep, rocky terrain or shedding off cliffs remain an ongoing issue, even with not much else going on in the mountains. While the chances of witnessing one are low, the consequences would be severe if you were in the way. 

    Identify glide cracks and other overhead hazards before you are directly below them, give them a wide berth, and move quickly through the impact zone if no alternative exists. Do not stop, regroup, or linger below sketchy, unstable-looking snow.

    No wet loose activity has been reported. If you were to see one, it would likely originate from terrain similar to that which produces glide avalanches. Fortunately, wet loose avalanches often give warning signs. Look out for rollerballs, shedding snow, or small loose avalanches on steep sunny slopes.

    (12/9/2025)

    The rocky bed surface of a glide avalanche and glide cracks, where more could release.

    Photo: Zack McGill

Avalanche Discussion

Current avalanche conditions are difficult to capture with a single danger rating. The avalanche danger is basically Low. You can hit just about any steep slope with nary a problem (at least as far as avalanches go—surface conditions are another story). It’s unlikely that you would encounter a glide or rogue wet loose avalanche. But fresh glide avalanches continue to be reported on a near-daily basis, and most would not be characterized as small. If you were in the way of one—or if one released in terrain ahead of or behind you—it would feel quite dangerous to be in the mountains.

At the end of the day, this is a classic example of finding avalanche danger a step lower or higher than the forecast rating, depending on where you are in the zone. The biggest variable is if you are below terrain capable of producing a glide avalanche—snow-covered rocky, rugged, cliffy, and extremely unsupported areas—or just traveling on or below garden-variety steep snow. With current conditions, the difference between these terrain types is huge, even though both are correctly labeled “avalanche terrain.”

Observers reported no new avalanches as of late Saturday afternoon. While sunny snow surfaces softened, shady areas stayed firm despite a high temperature of 50F at 5000 feet. A glide avalanche released - and was caught in the act - on Friday afternoon in West North.  Outside of steep southerly aspects, the snowpack is locked up with a thick and supportable crust at the surface. A team in Snoqualmie Pass had a close call with shedding snow in confined terrain on Thursday.

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