Snoqualmie Pass

Watch how the weather from the incoming storm is changing the snowpack on Monday. If there are prolonged periods of sunshine or wind, avalanche hazard could begin to increase. You may find some difficult travel conditions regardless of the weather, so bring the right equipment and allow yourself the time to travel safely.

Monday should be a transition day at Snoqualmie Pass as incoming clouds bring an end to the warm and sunny weather we experienced over the weekend. These clouds should combine with increasing winds to solidify the snow surface and create generally safe avalanche conditions. That doesn’t mean that avalanche hazard doesn’t exist. You could find that the snow is still soft and moist in the morning since we are not expecting as good of an overnight freeze as in previous days. Until the clouds approach, filtered sunshine could help to further destabilize the surface on sunny slopes. In both of these scenarios, if you find wet snow deeper than your ankle, you may be able to trigger some Wet Loose avalanches on steep slopes. As you ascend in elevation, the winds may grow strong enough to blow existing dry snow around. If you notice actively blowing snow, take a look where it is ending up for shallow and small Wind Slabs. These often form on the leeward sides of ridges or in rocky confined chutes. With some weak snow in place, these slabs could be touchy if they form. Don’t get caught off guard by one in consequential terrain.

Your biggest hazard of the day could possibly be travel conditions. Last week’s atmospheric river event delivered 9.5” of water to the pass, triggering a significant avalanche cycle. The effects of this period are still easy to spot wherever you go. Avalanche debris, open creeks, and rain runnels abound. Additionally, diurnal springtime weather over the weekend created an aspect-dependent snowpack with a multitude of surface conditions including icy and firm, wet and sticky, or cold and powdery, to name a few. Be careful not to get tripped up by a natural hazard or slip and take a long and uncontrolled fall on a firm slope.