Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

We could see a couple inches of snow with moderate overnight wind. New shallow drifts could form, which is where you're most likely to trigger an avalanche. Identify wind-affected surfaces like ripples or smooth pillows, and search out actively blowing snow, and avoid these areas on steep slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You're most likely to trigger an avalanche in newly formed wind slabs from the snow that falls overnight Sunday and the last bit that comes in during the day Monday. We may only receive a couple inches, but with moderate to strong wind, slabs could be large enough to surprise you and take you for a scary ride. 

    Identify actively blowing snow, and watch to see where it lands. Search for wind-etched surfaces or smooth, pillowlike areas. You're most likely to get deeper drifts around rocky outcroppings, in gullies, or on the leeward side of slopes.

    Track changes in new snow depth. You could also identify  depths over the older, previously wet surface that is now at least a soft crust in most areas. This atmospheric river layer could be anywhere from a few inches to 18 or more inches below the surface. Snow just above this crust doesn't appear to be sliding any more, but it might when new slabs build on top. 

    Where you find deeper deposits, or if you feel firmer and heavier new snow layers, these are good indicators that wind-drifted snow is present, and it's best to steer around steep slopes, sticking to more sheltered or lower angle terrain. 

    (3/21/2025)

    Signs of wind affected snow and potential wind slabs. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Large avalanches naturally occurred Friday night in the neighboring West North, Stevens, and Snoqualmie Pass zones. They were all likely cornice failures or glide avalanches. Similar activity probably occurred in the West Central zone. With a subtle cooling for the next few days, we suspect any lingering wet snow avalanche problems to finally be behind us, but it's not completely out of the question that a large cornice fall, glide, or block of snow perched on a steep rock face could still initiate an avalanche. 

The old snow surface from the atmospheric river last week does not yet appear to have a solid freeze. Boots are still easily punching through the subtle crust in neighboring zones. With more cooling in the next few days we suspect more freezing will occur. 

Conditions could vary from the forecast depending on where you are in the zone. Start with this forecast before making your own observations to determine whether danger could be similar, higher, or lower based on where you are. 

Submit an observation to the website or the Avy App to help NWAC Forecasters reduce uncertainty. It can be short, simple, and even anonymous. 

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