Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

On Tuesday, look for wind slabs on a variety of aspects due to shifting winds. Visual clues such as textured surfaces, new drifts, and actively blowing snow can help you determine wind-loaded slopes to avoid. Early-season conditions persist, with numerous natural hazards present.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Look for wind slabs on the leeward side of ridgelines, near rocky features such as chutes or the base of cliffs, and on convex rollovers. You can use visual clues such as textured surfaces, newly developed cornices, or large pillow-like drifts to help identify slopes that may be wind-loaded. With the wind direction flip-flopping all over the place this week, you may find usual loading patterns or slabs on atypical aspects. Take it slow and assess conditions carefully, using small test slopes or uptrack tests to look for instability in the upper snowpack. If you suspect a slope is wind-loaded, seek out sheltered, lower-angled terrain.

    (12/21/2025)

    A small natural wind slab avalanche on Panorama Point. E, 6700ft. This slide like occured 12/19 or 12/20. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Expect Tuesday to be similar to Monday - a few inches of new snow, and a shifting wind direction blowing it around. Observations from the crest indicate that winds flipped a bit easterly for a portion of Monday, resulting in some reverse loading and shallow slabs in unusual locations. At Crystal Mountain, a natural avalanche failed in the early-morning hours in steep, rocky terrain below a ridgeline with obvious wind transport. Two similar avalanches were spotted on Sunday in the Paradise area by NWAC forecasters.

The snowpack around the zone remains fairly universal. The upper snowpack consists of 18-25 inches of this past week's storm snow, sitting over the 12/18 crust. We are primarily concerned about avalanches above this easily identifiable snowpack marker. Below it, dry snow is mixed with crusts, then transitions to large melt forms due to the atmospheric river events that wreaked havoc on our region in previous weeks. On the volcanoes, don't be surprised to find subtle crust just below the surface. It formed on 12/21 during a freezing fog event and has been confirmed on Mount Rainier and our southern neighbor, Mount Hood. 

With a generally shallow snowpack for this time of year, there are plenty of natural obstacles to avoid. Open creeks, logs, bushes, and rocks are littered throughout the landscape. Take your time navigating these hazards and remember that even a small slide can be problematic when terrain traps are involved.

State and local resources are working diligently to reduce the impacts of destructive storms that occurred earlier this month. We can help by respecting affected communities, complying with road closures, and adhering to ski area uphill travel policies.

Regions covered