Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Expect a stormy and windy day, and it's very likely that you can trigger and get killed in a large avalanche. This is a good time to keep it simple out there: avoid traveling on steep slopes, and when snowfall rates stay strong, especially as you climb higher, stay out of all avalanche terrain, including lower-angle slopes beneath big paths. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Plan on a day filled with heavy snow and strong winds. It's very likely that you can trigger a large avalanche that can kill you, and natural avalanches are likely as well. Snow will be more reactive in thicker, wind-drifted slabs, and we expect a lot of slopes, especially at higher elevations, will be wind-affected. Even in sheltered spots, however, enough new snow exists that you could trigger and get caught in a large avalanche. 

    Today's a day to keep it simple: avoid all steep slopes. When the snowfall and wind are still heavy, and as you climb in elevation, get even more conservative with your terrain selection and stay out from under steep slopes as well, where avalanches will run and stop.  This is a day to leave large margins around terrain traps, such as areas above cliffs, large boulders, or trees. Don't find yourself in an area where if you're caught in an avalanche, you'll be funneled down into a gully and buried deeply. 

    (1/4/2025)

    Large human-triggered avalanches that can kill you are very likely. Avoid steep slopes and lower angle terran beneath them as well. 

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Most wet avalanche activity will probably be near the top of the lower elevation band, where there may be several inches of moist new snow and fluctuating temperatures. We don't expect much wet activity in the older snow that's already been through extensive wetting. 

    Where new snow is moist or sticky, search for natural activity like rollerballs or small wet slides fanning out. If you see rollerballs and any wet loose slides, avoid similar steep slopes and the terrain beneath them.  You might be able to trigger a wet loose avalanche on a steep slope in moist snow as well. You might be caught by surprise if you trigger one and end up in its' sluff. 

    Example photo: wet loose avalanches like this one could run near the snow/rain line interface, probably in the lower elevation band. 

    Photo: Jenny Kaltunas

Avalanche Discussion

We're expecting a little less than a foot of snow overnight, and during the day we could receive more than a foot of additional snow. Forecast models vary widely, and a convergence zone may park itself in the West Central zone, so avalanche danger could vary from this forecast. 

The weekend's atmospheric river totaled 3-5" around the zone, with the tail end finishing up as snow. Neighboring zones reported several large and very large avalanches that failed during the event. Some avalanches stepped down several feet, impacting deeper, old snow layers and running full path, down towards valley bottoms. The wetting affected less of the snowpack than we expected, mainly affecting the top 1-2ft. 

Almost another inch of water, falling as snow at upper elevations, came down early Sunday night with strong winds. We had a precipitation break during the day Monday before this next storm arrives Monday night. After this last burst of precipitation Tuesday, the faucet will slow for a few days and temperatures will begin to climb. 

Regions covered