Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

As the sun intensifies, expect increasing wet avalanche activity, including natural avalanches, especially in steep, rocky terrain- and there might be enough activity to catch you off guard and surprise you. If snow becomes wet and soggy—around you or on unseen overhead slopes—move away from steep terrain and runout zones below. At higher elevations, lingering pockets of wind-drifted snow can still be triggered, so steer around large, steep slopes, especially in extreme terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Conditions and avalanche danger can change quickly under the strong spring sun. Slopes that were dry or crusty can rapidly become wet and unstable.

    Follow the sun—east in the morning, south midday, and west in the afternoon—and expect avalanche activity to increase as slopes heat up. This time of year, only small, due-north aspects are likely to stay cool.

    Expect rollerballs followed by small wet avalanches. You can trigger wet avalanches on steep, moist slopes, while natural avalanches are most likely in steep, rocky terrain and can grow larger as they move downhill. Avoid lingering beneath steep slopes, gullies, or avalanche paths that are heating up, especially if you see rollerballs or wet loose activity nearby.

    (2/15/2026)

    Wet loose avalanches running on the south side of Table Mtn during peak solar intensity. 

    Photo: Hilary Groh

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Two small human-triggered wind slabs were reported Friday, likely failing in recent snow about a foot deep. Watch for clear warning signs like shooting cracks, recent avalanches, or whumphing. Look for drifted “pillows” on steep rollovers, near rocks, and on leeward ridges, and consider avoiding these areas—especially in high-consequence terrain where even small slides matter.

    With Moderate danger, human-triggered slab avalanches remain possible. Sun and warming should help stabilize things, but not completely yet. Keep in mind that a wet loose avalanche could step down and trigger a slab on a steep, unsupported slope.

    (4/3/2026)

    A small, D1.5 human-triggered soft slab avalanche that released in a wind slab near a ridgeline plus a rocky outcropping, where drifts tend to collect. This slope rolled over, becoming steeper and unsupported, often where avalanches are more likely to be triggered. SS-ASu-D1.5

    Photo: Harrison Brickman - Bellingham Mtn Rescue

Avalanche Discussion

A backcountry group aiming to ski Mt. Shuksan reported long shooting cracks while skinning at higher elevations. As they continued, they triggered a small slab avalanche and chose to retreat. They also observed a large avalanche running through a gully to lower elevations. It’s unclear if it started wet or dry, but it gained significant mass in the confined terrain. Gullies and other high-exposure terrain like this are places to avoid traveling in or beneath on Saturday.

Saturday will differ from the past couple days. On Thursday, Heather Meadows saw a natural cycle of wet loose avalanches in about 4 inches of new snow as warm, cloudy conditions affected all aspects. Similar snowfall was reported Friday morning, and with less cloud cover, most surfaces became moist by early afternoon, with rollerballs forming on steep south aspects.

Expect most surfaces to start with a crust Saturday, except for higher elevation shady slopes that may still hold dry snow. Information at upper elevations is limited. Crusts will likely soften quickly, with warming temperatures leading to plenty of soggy snow later in the day.

Regions covered