Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

There may be a quick transition from dry to wet avalanche problems on Friday as the sun comes out and temperatures soar. Wind-exposed slopes at upper elevations will continue to harbor slabs, while sun-exposed aspects could produce loose slides. Make travel plans that give you plenty of terrain options to avoid these problems.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    We just wrapped up a windy storm that had flip-flopping wind directions and plenty of dry snow available for transport. Wind slabs were reported throughout the zone on Thursday and should remain reactive on Friday, particularly at upper elevations or on the volcanoes.

    Look for visual clues such as large drifts, fresh cornices, or textured surfaces to help you identify where wind slabs may be lurking. If you find that the snow is deeper and stiffer than the surrounding area, you may have found a wind-loaded slope and should retreat the way you came. Using uptrack tests or small test slopes can help you identify how the snow reacts to your weight as a traveler and whether slab potential exists. While quick hand pits as you travel can help you verify the bond at the base of the storm snow or at the 3/25 crust. 

    Be sure to avoid wind-affected open slopes and wind-loaded features, such as convex rollovers or rocky chutes.

    (4/2/2026)

    A human-triggered wind slab avalanche in the White Pass backcountry on 4/2. This one is on a leeward slope just below a ridgeline and a cornice.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Loose Wet

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

    As the clouds dissipate and temperatures rise throughout the day, expect an increase in wet loose avalanches on sun-exposed slopes. Activity may start with snow shedding from trees and rocks, producing rollerballs and pinwheels. But as the April sun further destabilizes the snow surface, it will be easier for you to push wet slides of your own or for those pinwheels to turn into actual avalanches. With a good amount of recent low-density snow from Thursday's storm, these slides could start to grow large as they descend. Don't get caught off guard by one in consequential terrain.

    If the snow is moist and deeper than your ankle, you should head for shadier aspects, keeping an eye on slopes above you.

    (4/2/2026)

    It didn't take much of a break in the clouds to start to warm up the snow surface on sun-exposed slopes on Thursday. This snow was almost pushable enough to create wet avalanches, but largely resulted in pinwheels and rollerballs. That will change on Friday.

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Wednesday night into Thursday was a proper storm in the West South zone. Apart from stacking up anywhere from 6 inches to 1 foot of snow, the winds were a major player. On Thursday, observations from Crystal, White Pass, Paradise, and Mount Adams all indicate that wind slabs were the main concern, with both natural and human-triggered slabs reported. As the sun broke through the thin clouds later in the day, we got reports of the snow getting moist and rollerballing, but not many actual wet loose slides.

Friday will be a similar kind of day in the morning, but there will likely be a quick transition to putting wet avalanches front and center, where they will remain through the weekend. Be prepared to quickly shift plans to avoid sun-exposed slopes if they're heating up and producing wet activity.

The widest and deepest slabs reported on Thursday were in the Crystal area. Both the Crystal Mountain Pro Patrol and NWAC forecasters identified weak faceted grains above the 3/25 crust. We haven't had any reports of these pesky weak grains anywhere else in the zone, but be aware that slides could break all the way down to the 3/25 crust and span far distances, particularly on shaded slopes.

The storm helped improve travel at lower elevations, at least for a day. But there still isn't enough snow to pose much avalanche hazard. You will likely see wet avalanche activity in the lower elevation band, but the majority of it won't be large enough to reach the threshold to be called consequential avalanches. Instead, you'll need to continue to manage holes, creeks, bare ground, or shallowly buried hazards as you make your way into the mountains.

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