Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago.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

Precipitation returns in the form of rain for all but the upper elevations. If you're traveling in the rain, keep an eye out for wet snow that may begin to slide on old, crusty surfaces. Above the snowline, watch for quickly developing wind slabs on leeward facing aspects. As the weather gets worse, consider sticking to simple, lower-angle terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Wet avalanche activity will rise through the day with intensifying rain and wet snow. This problem will be confined to elevations below and near the snowline. Keep in mind, it doesn't need to be raining to produce wet avalanches; heavy, wet snow can as well. These avalanches should stay fairly small but still be capable of pushing you into trees, rocks, or off a cliff. If the snow underfoot starts to feel slushy and soft or you start sinking more than a few inches deep, it's time to move to lower angle terrain.

    (2/6/2026)

    A small, point-release wet loose avalanche in the White Pass backcountry. This one appears to be only a few inches deep, running on a crust surface below.

    Photo: Northwest Avalanche Center

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Above the snowline, there will be no shortage of precipitation or wind to build fresh wind slabs. Crusty surfaces before the new snow may also provide an excellent sliding surface for any fresh slabs. Look for wind-drifted snow on the leeward side of ridges, rock outcrops, cliff bands, or any feature that is exposed to the wind. Pay attention to surface texture: fresh drifts will stand out against the old, firm crust and often take on a smooth, lens-like appearance.

    If you’re having a hard time moving in the wind, or you’re spotting fresh cornices and drifts as you travel, it’s time to steer clear of steep leeward slopes.

    (12/21/2025)

    Obvious signs of the wind help identify which direction the wind has been blowing lately. And in the background, you can see a wind slab avalanche that failed naturally.

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Conditions on Friday were fairly similar to the last few days of warm weather, with some subtle but impactful shifts. For the last few days, high pressure brought persistent easterly wind to  the West South, and a temperature inversion allowed for upper elevation terrain to be much warmer than lower elevations. On Friday, the ridgeline wind shifted southwesterly, the temperature inversion finally mixed out, and middle-lower elevations were able to warm up more than previous days, especially around White Pass.

Saturday will start out cloudy, but stormy weather should kick in mid-morning. Unfortunately, it'll be more like a rainstorm than a snowstorm for the West South. If you want to find the snow, you'll have to brave the rain and climb into the upper elevation band. Keep in mind, if you climb into the new snow, the primary avalanche problem will shift, and moderate-strong wind could be developing fresh wind slabs. The heaviest precipitation is focused on the Paradise area, which could see up to double the water compared to surrounding areas.

The snowpack has taken a beating lately, leaving behind a mix of crusts, suncups, runnels, and old surfaces to work with. With that, there's some uncertainty about whether or not more rain will have much impact. Nevertheless, rain on snow is never a good setup. If it's wet and rainy out, keep your eyes peeled for signs of wetting and destabilizing surface snow. 

An NWAC forecaster took a trip to the White Pass backcountry today, where they found firm but softening surface snow, along with numerous, small, old, wet avalanches. Overall, minimal avalanche danger was observed. 

Regions covered