Avalanche forecast

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Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

We have entered a more normal spring weather pattern after an anything but normal week of sustained soggy weather. There is water in the snowpack that could make a large slab of snow suddenly come unglued. It's unlikely you'd trigger anything, but you should limit your travel on big, steep slopes or under cliffs and hanging blocks of snow until the snowpack has had more time to refreeze.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

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

    Dropping freezing levels overnight and refreezing surfaces are slowly reducing the likelihood of triggering wet avalanches. However, there is still plenty of rain and meltwater swimming around in the snowpack. Until that water drains out or the snowpack fully refreezes, there is still some chance of encountering a large avalanche. Sagging cornices are also highly suspect, as one of these big chunks of snow could detach without warning. These aren’t problems you can evaluate with regular snowpack observations, and it’s unlikely you would trigger one. The only real way to reduce your risk is to limit the time spent on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, as well as just below cliffed and corniced ridgelines.

    Small amounts of new snow at upper elevations will be easily influenced by sun and warm temperatures. If you get high enough to find freshly fallen snow and its getting moist and sticky, note that triggering very small wet loose avalanches will become easier. These won't bury you, but could knock you off your feet and carry you into terrain traps below so be cognizant of your terrain selection as you travel around. A thin, superficial surface crust may exist on the surface in the morning, limiting this problem, but it will break down as the day heats up.

    (1/14/2026)

    An example of wet slab avalanche crowns from earlier in the season. Spire Gully, Hairpin Valley, NE, 7,000ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

A prolonged atmospheric river event has finally come to an end. While East North tended to escape the largest rainfall totals throughout the week, areas to the west near the Cascade Crest saw higher amounts. Over 1 inch of rain fell on Friday alone at Rainy Pass. Saturday was a drier and sunnier day. Observations reported that surfaces were mostly supportable, but if you did sink through, you were sinking deeply up to your waist. This indicates the snowpack is plenty saturated. Water could be pooling on a crust buried on March 8th by 2-3 feet of snow. One wet slab avalanche was observed on Saturday that could have released on this layer. The date of the avalanche is unknown.

1-2 inches of snow (you read that right, snow!) fell at upper elevations on Friday, and another small shot may make it over the Cascade Crest to fall at similar elevations Saturday night. Observers reported triggering very small wet loose avalanches on Saturday in this freshly fallen snow as it heated up in the sun. Alternatively, on more shaded aspects, keep an eye out for small, isolated pockets of dry, wind-loaded snow. You'll most likely find these pockets in extreme and exposed terrain.

Expect a drastically altered mountain environment from a week ago. Open lakes, high-flowing creeks, and lots and lots of wet snow make access to the mountains more challenging. Plan ahead.

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