Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Warm temperatures and sunshine will maintain the threat of wet snow avalanches.  Stay off steep southerly slopes where you can push wet manky snow downhill.  Glide avalanches may shed at any time during a prolonged warm-up; put a healthy buffer between you and terrain where big blocks of snow may release without warning.   

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Despite above-freezing temperatures all night long, clearing skies may form a new surface crust on previously wet snow surfaces by Wednesday morning.  However, with another mild day on tap, those surface crusts should not be hard to break down on steep sunny aspects. 

    Pay attention to the snow surface throughout the day as you change aspects and elevations.  A wet loose avalanche on bigger slopes could quickly entrain additional wet snow and take you for a ride far down slope.  Use extra care near terrain traps, like open creeks,  above trees, and cliffs where even a small slide could easily do damage.    

    While the focus should be on steep sunny aspects, use the same caution on any slope you find yourself sinking into wet, manky snow.  Look up - small wet loose avalanches may continue to release below steep sunny rock faces throughout the day. 

    A handful of recent wet loose avalanches low on the east side of Herman.

    On Wednesday, wet loose avalanches are more likely on steep southerly aspects, or anywhere you find yourself sinking into wet manky snow. 

    Photo: Lee Lazzara

  • Glide Cracks

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

    As water reaches the ground, the entire season's snowpack may slide off smooth rock faces or heather slopes. Natural glide avalanches have already occurred during this warm stretch and while the rain has stopped, the hazard posed by these avalanches will continue for days.

    The simplest advice is to put plenty of space between you and the extreme terrain features where these slides are most likely to fail.  Don't travel directly below areas where you see new glide cracks that have opened up over the last few days, like in the recent photo. 

    (1/13/2026)

    Rain-affected snow and multiple glide cracks on Table Mt. This is the kind of terrain most likely to produce more large avalanches with continued warming through the weekend.

    Photo: Lee Lazzara

Avalanche Discussion

Following 4-5 inches of water over the last 2+ days, skies finally cleared Tuesday afternoon, showing rain-affected snow surfaces up to 6000-7000', and a range of avalanche activity in the Mt Baker backcountry.  The snowpack has been settling quickly, falling close to 20" at mid-elevations over the last 2 days during this warm and rainy event.  Backcountry snow travel was predictably slow on Tuesday in these conditions.  Around 5000',  water had worked its way down about 1 ft (30cm).  The 1/3 crust was down about 2-3' at this elevation in the Mt Baker backcountry. 

Regions covered