Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 months ago.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

You can still trigger a small wet avalanche, and it could grow as it moves down long, steep slopes on this last hot day before temperatures finally cool. Beware isolated warm-weather releases—like cornice falls that could trigger avalanches, glides, or snow blocks falling off cliffs—often with little warning. Keep an eye on these overhead hazards and move quickly through areas where they exist above you.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Most natural wet loose avalanche activity is likely behind us, but it still wouldn't be a surprise if one came running down, probably initiating in rocky areas. Alternatively, if you travel out onto steep slopes and encounter soggy, wet snow, you could trigger a wet loose avalanche. If you're planning on traveling in steep terrain, make a plan for how to avoid getting caught in any avalanches you trigger. 

    Most avalanches will likely stay above the crust that's sitting 1-2ft beneath the surface. If an avalanche initiates on a large, steep slope, it could pick up a lot of mass before it finally comes to rest. If you're sinking a foot or more into soggy wet snow around you, notice any natural activity, or you see or hear water actively dripping or flowing on large steep faces, it's probably not a good idea to be on or below those slopes. 

    Below about 3500ft, snow cover is spotty, if it even exists. You could initiate an avalanche in smaller patches at lower elevations, but your main concern in these areas is challenging variable snow travel or larger avalanches initiating from high above you. 

    (4/4/2026)

    A rider triggered small wet loose avalanche- the only rider triggered avalanche we saw during the day. East, 5700ft. 

    Photo: Irene Henninger

Avalanche Discussion

Thanks to clear skies, we suspect there was at least a small refreeze on most wet surfaces Saturday night, and we suspect the same for Sunday night going into Monday. Although this may slow avalanche activity initially, be warned that it won't take much sun for a surface freeze to thaw again. Snow conditions are highly aspect dependent, with deep layers of moist snow on sunny aspects, that are rapidly melting out. Northerly slopes, especially at higher elevations, are surprisingly winterlike still. 

After several days of warm temperatures, there's an increased chance of soggy snow features failing in isolated areas, such as cornices, blocks of wet snow on cliffs, or even a glide failing. Snow falling onto a steep slope beneath features could trigger an avalanche. As you travel, continuously look overhead for any looming hazards. It's hard to tell if and when anything might fail, but it's probably a good bet to skirt slopes beneath them or at least travel quickly through the area.

Upper elevation north-facing slopes were remaining cold and dry on Saturday, but they may have moistened- and subsequently had a few additional wet loose avalanches- on Sunday. We suspect these areas will probably survive with little additional warming until temperatures finally cool Monday night.

Previously, there were a handful of natural and human-triggered slab avalanches failing about a foot deep on upper elevation, shaded terrain, primarily on wind slabs. We suspect any weaknesses to have healed by now, but if you're high in the alpine, information is limited and you should test for any weakness in shallower dry layers as you climb higher. Above our forecast zone, observers on Sunday reported a natural slab avalanche failing high on the slopes on Mt Shuksan (media) and a suspected serac fall high on the slopes of Mt Baker. 

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