Avalanche forecast

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Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

A slow cooling trend and overlapping dry and wet snow problems will have you reassessing the snowpack frequently on Tuesday.  While most avalanches involving new snow will be small, be aware of overhead hazard.  The risk of large/very large cornice fall or shed-style avalanches continues as the weather oscillates between Winter and Spring. 

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

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

    Cooler temperatures have arrived but the temperature/freezing level will continue to bounce around in typical Spring fashion following a mild and rainy stretch.  Many ridgelines are thick with looming cornices that want to fall down over the coming days and weeks.  Give these behemoths space and minimize your exposure while traveling on slopes below corniced ridgelines. When traveling on ridges, stay far back from the edge and don't travel on overhung snow.  Also think about "shed" style avalanches - blocks of snow that release off of steep rocks/cliffs at elevations that don't see a proper refreeze.  They can seemingly release at random during or even after extended warm stretches as meltwater continues to move through the snowpack. 

    You're more likely to see smaller wet loose avalanches Tuesday on slopes with new snow that's ready to move downhill following daytime warming and/or sunbreaks.  If you see rollerballs or natural wet loose avalanches releasing, it's time to change aspects or move to lower angle terrain.  Use care around terrain traps, wet loose avalanches may run further than you think above a newly formed crust.  

    (4/2/2025)

    Cornices loom at 7,400-7,500ft above northeasterly aspects in the Hairpin Valley.

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and wind will form fresh wind slabs at mid and especially upper elevations Monday night and Tuesday.  Use small test slopes to see how easily the snow slides before committing to larger slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Watch for blowing snow and cracking in the new snow to gauge instability.

    Be ready for changing surface conditions as you move through the terrain and climb in elevation.   Avalanches that start in dry snow may become wet in nature as they entrain heavier snow during their descent to lower elevations.  All of this to say, the snowpack and weather are in a transitional state and that alone should have you reassessing the hazard throughout the day.  

    (4/2/2025)

    Signs of obvious wind scouring and loading on NW-N aspects of Stilleto Peak. 7,000ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

WSDOT forecasters reported numerous small wet loose avalanches that ran naturally and during control work on Monday.  While conditions were generally mild with light rain observed at Washington Pass, spin drift along the higher peaks indicated that cooler temperatures and at least some new snow had arrived at upper elevations.  The Washington Pass area experienced less precipitation (and rain) Sunday night than areas further east during a warm storm.  We don't know how the eastern part of the zone fared following more significant rainfall on a weaker snowpack. 

If you’re in an area with less than 6 feet of snow on the ground, or venturing into areas east of Mazama, you may encounter deeper avalanches on older weak layers. If you dig and find a layer of weak, sugary facets or moist snow in the middle of the snowpack, steer clear of steep, open slopes. Falling cornices could initiate much deeper, larger avalanches in these areas.

On April 2nd, an NWAC forecaster teamed up with WSDOT forecasters to check out the snowpack and recent avalanches near Washington Pass. They found that the upper 3 feet of the snowpack had transformed to melt forms, and the lower 1/2 to 2/3rds remained dry. They also cataloged a number of very large avalanches that ran during the late-March AR rain event. 

Confidence in the avalanche forecast is low, as observations have become scarce and infrequent. You can help contribute to the forecast by submitting an observation.

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