Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The mountains have already seen wet avalanche activity, but continued warm temperatures, sun, and light winds will keep that trend going over the next few days. Pockets of unstable wind-drifted snow still linger on shaded slopes in alpine terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Natural wet loose avalanches are still possible, especially below rocks, cliffs, or steep tree-covered terrain where shedding snow can trigger slides on slopes below. Snow actively shedding from trees and rocks, fresh rollerballs, and new wet loose avalanches are all signs the snow surface is warming and becoming unstable.

    You can also trigger a wet loose avalanche on steep slopes where the snow is soft and sloppy. These avalanches shouldn’t take you by surprise, but they can still take you for a ride if you’re not paying attention to the snow surface and your surroundings while traversing or descending sun-warmed slopes. As temperatures rise, this problem may spread to more shaded slopes as well.

    (4/4/2026)

    A rider triggered small wet loose avalanche- the only rider triggered avalanche we saw during the day. East, 5700ft. Canyon Creek.

    Photo: Irene Henninger

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    The likelihood of triggering a wind slab is low, but the setup still exists at upper elevations on more shaded slopes. The concern is where wind-drifted snow accumulated over the April 1 old-new snow interface. Activity hasn’t been widespread, but there has been at least one human-triggered avalanche, and also a few natural slabs triggered by dribbles of loose snow or small cornice failures from above. 

    If you’re in alpine terrain and finding dry snow, use simple tests to check for weak bonding about a foot below the surface. Scoured surfaces, wind-rippled snow and cornices can help identify wind-loaded slopes. Wind slabs are less likely on southerly aspects, where the sun has baked them down to the point of being unreactive.

    (4/3/2026)

    A small, D1.5 human-triggered soft slab avalanche that released in a wind slab near a ridgeline plus a rocky outcropping, where drifts tend to collect. This slope rolled over, becoming steeper and unsupported, where it is easier for avalanches to be triggered. 

    Photo: Harrison Brickman - Bellingham Mtn Rescue

Avalanche Discussion

Wet avalanche activity has been widespread across the region, with numerous small (generally <D2) wet loose avalanches reported on all aspects. It was easy to trigger wet snow on steep, sun-warmed slopes, and even shaded terrain has been affected as the upper snowpack continues to transition. Cooler winds helped slow warming at times, but not enough to fully shut things down, and snow surfaces have remained soft enough to produce loose avalanches.

At higher elevations, especially on northerly aspects, a more complex structure still lingers. Beneath surface crusts, colder, drier snow sits above a stout crust, and a few soft slab avalanches have been reported failing within this upper snowpack. While unlikely, this problem could still show up in isolated alpine terrain, particularly in shaded slopes or couloirs.

The bigger question  for the next few days is whether warming continues to the point where the upper snowpack becomes saturated and produces larger, more unpredictable wet avalanches—the kind that run far and gouge deep. It may not happen everywhere, or at all, but it’s something to keep in mind. This is a tough pattern to forecast exactly. The best policy is to pay attention to how wet the snow is underfoot and also to what’s happening around you. Look beyond your immediate surroundings—watch adjacent valleys and ridgelines. If you start seeing more wet activity than expected, larger slides, or hearing the distant rumble of large avalanches, that’s your cue things are changing quickly. And as usual, the biggest terrain will also produce the biggest avalanches.

Regions covered