Avalanche forecast

West Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

You could trigger a large avalanche on any steep slope, especially in areas of buried weak grains or combined wind loading. This is a tricky snowpack, with multiple weak layers and weather factors to complicate the issue. Avoid traveling on or beneath steep slopes and stick to simple, low-angle terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    In the last 36 hours, there have been numerous human-triggered avalanches, slope collapses, and shooting cracks pointing toward snowpack instability within the buried weak snow (2/13 and 2/7 interfaces). With significant snow overnight Sunday into Monday, these layers will be put to the test. These weak grains have been observed all over the West South with difficult distribution, so don't try to outsmart the problem. Your best tool will be avoidance; any steep slope is suspect. Keep your travel to lower-angle terrain. These avalanches could fail widely, remotely from a distance, or even release naturally. 

    The wind has been cranking, and will continue to do so through Monday. Expect deep wind-drifted snow near and below ridgelines and cliffbands. Areas of combined wind loading and buried weak snow could produce even larger avalanches. 

    (2/22/2026)

    A small, remotely triggered avalanche in the Buillon Basin area, failing 14-16" deep on buried surface hoar.

    Photo: Northwest Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche Burial: At around 12:00 pm on Thursday, February 19th, a group of snowmobilers were riding near the Shoestring Glacier on Mt Saint Helens. On their second pass across a slope, two riders were traveling together when they triggered a large avalanche. Unknown to the first rider, the second was fully buried by the slide. Once realizing their friend was missing, the team quickly initiated an avalanche rescue. They located the buried rider with an avalanche transceiver and a probe strike. When they initially reached his airway, he was purple and not breathing. After several rescue breaths, the rider began breathing on his own and eventually regained consciousness. The buried rider was able to ride out under his own power with no injuries. Avalanche: HS-AM-R2-D2-U, NE, 6000 ft.

Discussion:

Sunday added more evidence that the widely discussed 2/7 and 2/13 interfaces are capable of producing avalanches. One party in the Bullion Basin area remotely triggered a 14–16" slab that failed on buried surface hoar, likely the 2/7 layer. Another party in the same area triggered a 50' wide slab, before turning around for the day. While these avalanches were small, their character is a flashing neon sign of what could happen if we stack more snow on top of these weaknesses.

These layers have been identified in some form across much of the well-traveled West South, including Crystal Mountain, Mount Rainier, and White Pass. So far, they’ve been somewhat stubborn in tests, but that will likely change as additional load is added. Now is a good time to dial it back and approach steep terrain with a more critical eye than you may have earlier this winter. Stepping onto a steep slope isn’t a guaranteed trigger; it’s more like rolling dice, with high consequences if you lose.

Sunday night into Monday, the West South could see up to a foot of new snow, with the bulk of the precipitation falling overnight and into the early morning. Winds will continue to transport available snow onto leeward features, with stronger speeds at higher elevations. Snow levels should remain low enough for snowfall at trailheads, though slightly warmer overnight temperatures may produce denser snow than what falls during the day on Monday.

Even with new snow, remember that the snowpack is still incredibly thin. In many low-elevation areas, especially on the south and west aspects, only a few inches separate you from dirt and rocks. Any new snow will only slightly conceal the previously exposed objects. Travel cautiously in these low-tide conditions.

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