Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Your main concern is triggering an avalanche in newly wind-drifted snow. Search for active wind transport, wind-affected surfaces, and clues like long shooting cracks as indicators to steer around nearby steep slopes. Previously wet snow on the southern half of the compass will form a crust Friday night, but it could soften again during the day Saturday. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    An uptick in wind combined with plenty of low-density snow on shady aspects is creating small, fresh wind slabs, especially at higher elevations with more exposure. These new drifts could be avalanche with a human trigger, especially in steep, featured terrain. Even a small avalanche in high-consequence terrain could have serious consequences.

    At higher elevations, 6 inches or more of light snow is available for transport, allowing slabs to form as snow is loaded or cross-loaded into new areas. These slabs may sit on a melt-freeze crust, creating a slick bed surface. Expect fresh drifts to build around terrain features like gullies, steep rolls, and convexities. They may range from a few inches to over a foot deep, with either a textured surface or a smooth, pillowy appearance.

    Watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks. Use quick hand pits to check how easily new slabs are failing on the underlying layer. If you find signs of a slab that could slide on a steep slope, move to lower-angle terrain.

    (3/27/2026) Visible wind transport along the ridgeline and a fresh human-triggered avalanche from a wind slab on Friday in the neighboring Snoqualmie zone.  Photo: Eddie Schoen

Avalanche Discussion

On Friday,  the Stevens Pass zone had a small wet loose avalanche cycle, and it's likely we had similar activity in the West Central zone. Meanwhile, there was active wind transport in the Snoqualmie zone, and a human-triggered avalanche was reported (observation). Some areas in the West Central zone were probably similar. 

Slopes that received sun on Friday got wet and will likely form a crust Friday night. Saturday will stay a little cooler and cloudier, so we don't expect as much softening. If it's sunnier than expected, steep slopes facing the sun could still produce a small wet loose avalanche with a human trigger, especially in areas near rocks. For Saturday, another fresh crop of wind slabs will likely exist. 

Wednesday night, 6 inches to a foot of snow fell throughout the zone with minimal wind. Loose wet and dry avalanches appeared to be the main problem for Thursday, although there we suspect there were wind slabs up high. Beneath the new snow layer lies a series of crusts formed during warm periods in recent storms.  

Another uptick in wind and a couple inches of snow are expected by the end of the day Sunday, with cooler temperatures to remind us winter isn't quite over yet. If you make it out over the weekend, remember that our unseasonably thin snowpack still has many hazards even through mid-elevations, with open creeks, holes, and other exposed features in abundance. 

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