Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago.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

The likelihood of seeing or triggering an avalanche will depend on the amount of new snow. Areas with only a few inches should have minimal avalanche danger. If there are 6 inches or more, be on the lookout for unstable, wind-drifted snow on downwind slopes and wet avalanches during periods of sun.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Assess the bond of recently formed wind slabs before committing to steep terrain. The latest round of slabs is likely dense and stubborn to trigger, but could be more reactive where they formed over a slick crust. Brief sun breaks and warming could also increase reactivity. This is primarily an upper-elevation problem, where the most new snow accumulated, though small slabs might also be found at mid elevations. 

    Strong winds and snowfall are forecast to back off by morning, so active loading should be over by the time most people are in the mountains. Cornices and scoured slopes can help you identify wind-loaded terrain. Use hand pits, test slopes, and other informal tests to assess slab bonding before stepping onto steeper slopes.

    (1/3/2026)

    Scoured featuers can help you anticipate slopes that could hold fresh wind slabs. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Loose Wet

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

    Stay alert to wet loose avalanches on slopes receiving direct sun. These are most likely on southerly aspects at upper elevations, where there is enough new snow to react to warming. If middle elevations pick up more than an inch or two of snow overnight, look for an increased hazard in that elevation band as well.

    Both ingredients—sun and recent snow—are needed for wet loose activity; if one is missing, the likelihood of seeing or triggering a wet avalanche is low. Avoid traveling on or directly beneath steep slopes where you observe rollerballs, pinwheels, or small fresh avalanches. These are the early signs of wet snow instability.

    (12/27/2025)

    Cliffs and rocks warming in the sun are often the starting point for wet avalanches.

    Photo: Julz Holder - Grounding Truth

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday will be one of those days where you just have to go see what you find. There should be significant variation in precipitation and snowfall amounts across the forecast zone, and cloud cover remains highly uncertain. New snow amounts at upper elevations are largely an estimate, based on precipitation at lower-elevation weather stations and a generic lapse rate to estimate temperatures at 6000 and 7000 feet. Fortunately, it should be relatively easy to determine actual avalanche danger wherever you are by paying attention to new snow amounts and sky cover.

An NWAC Forecaster in the Baker Backcountry reported moist new snow rapidly accumulating in the late afternoon as snow levels and temperatures lowered. Winds were howling, but the new snow was sticky enough at mid elevations to resist wind transport. No new avalanches were reported, though visibility was too poor to see much of the surrounding terrain.

It’s probably safe to say the existing snowpack—composed of various crusts, melt forms, and rounded grains—should contribute little to avalanche danger. The exception could be on slopes where a slick surface crust formed before new snow began to fall.

Regions covered