Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

You could be surprised by triggering a large slab avalanche as you make your way towards higher elevations on Monday. Stick to smaller slopes and test bonding in and under the new storm layer before heading onto steeper slopes, and when in doubt, stick to lower angle terrain. Wet avalanches will likely run on steep, south-facing terrain or in any soggy surface layers on steep slopes, so avoid those slopes and the terrain beneath them if you notice any natural activity. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Slab avalanches at mid and upper elevations could surprise you by taking you for a scary ride and killing you on Monday. We don't really know how reactive these slabs will be. If you choose to travel onto steep slopes, test smaller features before stepping out into larger terrain. When in doubt, avoid traveling onto slopes greater than 35°. If you choose to travel into steep terrain, stick to open slopes that don't funnel you into a gully, off a cliff, or into trees.   

    Whumphing, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches are signs that you may trigger an avalanche on steep nearby terrain. Some shadier or upper elevation locations may harbor buried surface hoar or weak facets, left over from New Year's. If you dig down you might find the layers, buried 1-2 ft beneath the surface at mid and upper elevations. Information from neighboring zones indicates avalanches may have failed on this layer. We're unsure of its distribution on slopes, so it's best to stay conservative until more information is known. 

    (1/5/2025) A slab avalanche that likely occurred Saturday night during peak instability in the neighboring West North zone. Photo: Zoë Vernon

  • Loose Wet

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

    Sunday was soggy, and natural wet loose avalanches happened on all aspects at mid and lower elevations in neighboring zones. Skies will clear overnight, but freezing levels will increase to 6500ft by Monday afternoon. Snow at lower elevations will probably remain wet and could produce wet avalanches on all aspects. As you climb higher, snow may have dried out a little on shady aspects, and avalanche activity is expected to mainly occur on steep slopes facing the sun. 

    If you see any rollerballs or wet avalanches fanning out, avoid traveling on nearby steep slopes or the lower angle terrain beneath those slopes.  If snow feels wet and heavy, or is punchy so that you're sinking in past your ankles, just avoid steep terrain nearby. Shift to shadier aspects which may not be so wet. 

    Snow at mid and lower elevations was already wetted from the previous day's storm so may not be as reactive on Monday. At higher elevations, previously dry snow may be more see more avalanches on Monday. 

    (1/5/2025)

    Wet avalanche debris from a natural slide that crossed the summer trail to Snow Lake, Snoqualmie Zone.

    Photo: Ian Nicholson

Avalanche Discussion

Over the weekend, several backcountry travelers reported natural and human triggered avalanches in neighboring zones. One observation even came from the West Central zone, where someone likely hear and avalanche from Lake 22 (OBSERVATION). These were predominantly in the mid elevation band, but we suspect similar amounts of activity happened at upper elevations, where fewer people ventured. 

Snow surfaces will be highly variable on Monday. Expect wet, punchy snow at lower elevations. There's a chance a thin crust formed Sunday night. As you climb higher, steep sunny slopes will be soft, but crusts may exist on shady aspects. Elevations up to at least 5000ft had wet surface layers on Sunday, but the snowpack is still dry beneath the new storm snow layer up there. 

If you travel into the West Central zone, check out neighboring zone's forecasts, as our information in this zone is very limited. Please share what you saw with us if you do get out by submitting an obseration HERE or by using the Avy app. 

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