Avalanche forecast

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

We've got a tricky, unstable snowpack, and taking a step back to lower-angle terrain is the best way to avoid avalanches. Avalanches will be particularly easy to trigger where winds drift snow deeper. Avoid steep wind-drifted slopes below ridgelines and pay attention to warning signs, such as cracking and collapsing, that let you know steep slopes are dangerous. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Significant winds will build large wind slabs on lee aspects, further overloading our weak snowpack. Since the recent storm, wind slab avalanches are failing within faceted snow above the 2/7 melt-freeze crust. Some of these avalanches propagated widely during avalanche control work at Mission Ridge. Wind speeds are about to ramp up, drifting the soft surface snow into deeper slabs. At upper elevations, we expect especially sensitive avalanche conditions, and you should consider avoiding all steep slopes in wind-exposed terrain.  Avalanches could be triggered from lower-angle terrain below or next to steep slopes. 

    So far, most of the activity has been localized to wind-loaded areas. However, all steep open terrain is suspect with poor snowpack structure. Long shooting cracks, collapses, or natural avalanches are key indicators of dangerous avalanche conditions. Small, steep test slopes or convex features can help gauge the reactivity of the upper snowpack. But given snowpack variability, be cautious about extrapolating your results too broadly.  Instead, dial it back by seeking out low-angle terrain protected from the wind.

    (2/23/2026)

    A widely propagating and deep wind slab avalanche triggered by Mission Ridge Ski Patrol during control work. This slide is 3-3.5ft deep and failed on buried surface hoar. 

    Photo: Drew Carleton

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    The sun is expected on Wednesday, particularly in the southern and eastern portions of the zone. With plenty of fresh snow over slick crusts, wet avalanches might start rolling down steep sunny slopes. These avalanches might start naturally from trees and rocks shedding snow or be triggered by traveling in steep terrain. Rollerballs and heavy, wet snow are the first signs of this avalanche problem. As sunny slopes heat up, consider moving to lower-angle or shady slopes. 

    (12/24/2025)

    Natural roller balls falling off cliffs indicate a warming and weakening snowpack.

    Photo: Payton Schiff

Avalanche Discussion

Wednesday should be a mild day, with temperatures unlikely to warm significantly, though there is a chance of sunshine. 

There is 8-12" of snow over old weak layers, including the 2/13 buried surface hoar and facets over the 2/7 crust. In some locations, these layers may be easy to identify, or there could just be a crust and no weak snow. NWAC forecasters out in the Salmon La Sac area on Tuesday experienced multiple loud collapses and were able to trigger a small wind slab avalanche. In the Wenatchee Mountains, Mission Ridge Ski Patrol has triggered several small and large wind slabs on weak, faceted snow over the past three days. This problem is likely to stick around for a while, so settle in to enjoy the fresh snow on lower-angle slopes. 

It would be great to think the recent snow magically fixed our travel woes, but it didn’t. The snowpack is still painfully thin, particularly in the trees, at lower elevations, and on southerly slopes. Creeks, holes, and logs make routes meander or even impassable. Give yourself time to deal with our persistent ‘early season’ conditions.

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