Avalanche forecast

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Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago.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

 On Tuesday, rising temperatures and partial clearing will make wet avalanches easy to trigger, and they could occur naturally. You can also trigger avalanches in wind-drifted snow just below ridges and cliffs. Watch for cracking in drifted snow, fresh avalanches, and rollerballs as signs to stick to slopes less than 35 degrees.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Be prepared for increasing avalanche danger as temperatures warm and skies clear. Give yourself travel options of lower-angle and shaded slopes. Check how easily the surface snow slides as you change aspects and move through the mountains. The most likely places to encounter wet avalanches will be: At upper elevations, in steep, open terrain, and on southeast through southwest aspects. 

    This may be the first time in 5 days that upper-elevation snow is being warmed and wetted. There, avalanches could be large and run naturally from steep overhead terrain. Use caution around terrain traps, where avalanches could push you into rocks, trees, or creeks. It may be difficult to trigger these avalanches in the morning or at low elevations.

    (1/14/2026)

    Loose wet avalanches, broken cornices, and wind features. Hinkhouse Peak. S, 7,400ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Southwest wind and recent snow drifted slabs of 1-1.5 feet deep. Watch for signs such as ongoing blowing snow or cracking in pillow-like drifts to indicate the danger. These slabs formed over slick or weak snow layers and may still be easy to trigger. You can avoid these avalanches by steering around drifts or sticking to wind-sheltered terrain. Keep your distance from fresh cornices, as they can fall and trigger slides.  

    (1/30/2026)

    A natural slab avalanche on a leeward slope. Temperatures were warming, and this may've been triggered by cornice fall. Poster/Pica Peak, NE, 7,200ftSS-N-D1.5-I

     

Avalanche Discussion

The big question for Tuesday is how much sun will make it through the clouds, and the extent to which it will melt sun-exposed slopes. If you see or feel the effects of the sun, expect that you could be dealing with dangerous wet avalanche conditions. Southwest winds may have been strong enough for light wind transport at upper elevations. Over 1 foot of snow has accumulated since the 28th with predominantly southwest wind. The recent snow rests on a crust on most slopes.

On Friday and Saturday, observers reported triggering wet avalanches at middle and upper elevations due to rain and warming temperatures. Most of these slides were small. On Friday, they reported one large natural slab avalanche on a leeward, northerly aspect at upper elevations of Poster/Pica Peak. This may have resulted from a cornice collapse.

Before this storm, weak snow and surface hoar were widespread at lower elevations, while upper elevations had a mixture of thick supportable crusts on sunny aspects and breakable crusts on shadier slopes. Weak layers may be preserved above or below the crust that was buried on January 28th. Some observations indicate that the recent snow didn't bond well to the crust. As you travel, track the bond at this recent interface by using quick hand pits, slope tests, and snowpack tests.

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