Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago.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

Avoid traveling below snowy cliffs, glide cracks, cornices, and wrinkled-looking snow, especially on sun-exposed slopes. Plan ahead and use extra caution in big, steep alpine terrain where wet avalanches could start far above you.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

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

    One large glide avalanche was reported today in West North, and glide cracks in the surrounding area are growing large. With extremely warm temperatures, glide cracks will continue to open up until they release, or temperatures cool down, or all the snow melts away. Expect snow to keep shedding off cliffs and other extreme terrain features as well.

    These are low-probability events that typically occur in very specific terrain types (very steep, rocky, or slabby). Glides will be more likely to occur on sunny slopes, but today’s glide avalanche was on a shaded slope. They can occur anywhere the entire snowpack is slipping on the terrain below.

    (1/15/2026)

    The rocky bed surfaces of recent glide avalanches and glide cracks, where more could release with continued warming.

    Photo: Jere Burrell - Guided Exposure

  • Loose Wet

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

    Wet loose avalanches are still a concern on steep southerly slopes, especially at upper elevations. Keep an eye on what’s above you as the sun makes a warm day even warmer. Avoid travel on or directly below steep slopes where you see active signs of wet avalanche instability, such as rollerballs, shedding snow, or small avalanches. If the snow surface is topped by a frozen crust, wet loose avalanches are unlikely.

    (1/8/2025)

    This is the type of terrain where you are most likely to see wet let loose avalanches with continued sun and very warm temperatures.

    Photo: Irene Henninger

Avalanche Discussion

Determining avalanche danger for the current conditions is a bit of a toss-up. On the one hand, widespread wet avalanche activity is not expected. The upper snowpack was heavily impacted by rain and has undergone significant settlement, limiting the potential for additional melting and an increase in wet avalanche reactivity. 

But large glide avalanches remain a real possibility in isolated or extreme terrain features, and it would be very bad news to be in the way of one. If you are headed into North Cascades National Park or other alpine terrain, pay close attention to what is above you and how much time you spend below. West Central has plenty of terrain that can produce glide avalanches.

Aside from the single glide avalanche mentioned above, no other new avalanche activity was reported as of late Thursday afternoon. However, abundant debris from wet loose, glide, and wet slab avalanches is visible across all aspects and elevations all along the west slope of the Cascades. Most of this activity occurred during heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday.

This most recent atmospheric river significantly altered the mountain snowpack. White Chuck recorded a roughly 20% decrease in snow depth from a peak of 85 inches on January 8, with total settlement ranging from 15 to 25% across the forecast zone. In neighboring zones, the upper snowpack consists of moist rounds and melt forms down to the Jan 3rd crust, with no concerning layers identified. This crust is generally found 2 to 3 feet deep at mid elevations. 

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