Avalanche forecast

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You could trigger avalanches in the new snow on steep slopes during your outing on Sunday. In areas with about six inches or more of snow over a crust or harder layers, shift your travels to lower-angle terrain, especially in areas where terrain traps exist. When the sun shines intensely, expect small wet avalanches on steep slopes facing the sun. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Natural slab avalanches were visible in the Hwy 2 corridor when the clouds cleared Saturday afternoon. Several human triggered avalanches were reported in the West North zone, but they received almost double the amount of snow that this zone received. Still, it's possible that you could trigger an avalanche in areas that hold about 6 inches of snow or more. Expect more reactivity in thicker, wind-loaded areas. Search for bullseye clues like long, shooting crack or recent avalanches, as obvious signs to avoid steep terrain. When in doubt, stick to lower-angle slopes. 

    Shady slopes may be more reactive if weak layers linger in or on the old snow surface, but we don’t yet know how widespread this problem is. Getting away with one slope doesn’t mean the next is safe.

    Avoid high-consequence terrain: steep slopes connected to gullies, cliffs, trees, or rock fields that could amplify the effects of getting caught in an avalanche. 

    Natural slab avalanches that ran in the new snow layer, likely overnight during peak snowfall. Hwy 2 corridor, N, 5800ft. 

    Photo: Irene Henninger

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    The sun popped out at the end of the day Saturday, but it wasn't quite intense enough to result in wet loose avalanches. For Sunday, expect more sun and all sorts of loose avalanches in the light, dry snow. In steep cold areas, you can probably trigger small dry loose avalanches, but as the sun pops out and the trees start shedding and rocks warm up, expect an uptick in wet loose avalanches. 

    Pay attention to sky cover and steep slopes that are directly facing the sun as it shines intensely. Avalanches may just run in the top few inches of new snow, but if warming is more than expected, avalanches could run the entire depth of the new snow layer, a foot deep. If you see natural avalanches that are large enough that you won't want to get caught, steer around nearby steep slopes and the runout beneath those areas. 

    (2/5/2026)

    Example photo: Wet loose slides on a sun-exposed slope originating in steep, rocky terrain. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Weather stations around the zone reported around six inches of snow, but there was less further east in the zone. Snowlines were around 2000ft for this storm, a welcome change after so many storms with rain to higher elevations.

I was at two different spots in the West Central zone on Tuesday and Friday, and in both areas, I found weak snow forming in and on top of the low-density snow layer that fell on 2/9.  I found surface hoar on shady slopes at both 3500 and 5000ft, along with a little bit of near-surface faceting where there was a shallow layer of low density snow over the 2/7 crust. This could mean that some slopes could surprise you and be more reactive than expected. The only problem is that we may not yet have enough of a slab on top. 

Near the top of the lower elevation band, there may be smooth, continuous old snow layers that avalanches could run on, especially on shady aspects, whereas south-facing slopes and lower elevations may just have a fresh coating of snow over the ground with minimal avalanche concern. 

 

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