Snoqualmie Pass

A bump in temperature could increase springtime hazards on Thursday. Firm surfaces to start, will gradually soften into the afternoon. Watch out for snow shedding off rocks and cliffs, weakened and collapsing cornices, and isolated wet avalanche activity on sunny slopes.

It sure feels like spring out there! Wednesday brought sunny skies with temperatures 5-10F warmer than Tuesday. Observers in the Kaleetan Peak area reported a good overnight refreeze, with crampons offering easier travel at times. Southerly aspects softened and offered good travel. Northerly aspects near Chair Peak and Snow Lake Divide stayed firm. No new avalanche activity was reported.

Thursday will be fairly similar to Wednesday, with temperatures climbing ~10F warmer than Wednesday. Wind will shift easterly, but this won't do much for cooling. Even with the warm-up, we don't expect any significant change in snow stability, but you might find small, isolated areas of unstable wet snow. These slides are most likely to occur on sunny slopes around warming rocks and cliffs, and areas with a lot of sun reflection, like in snow-covered bowls.

We haven’t seen many cornices collapsing recently, but it’s that time of year when it won’t take much for them to crack and fall. Along with the cornices, there are still large patches of snow clinging to rocks and cliffs. At some point, that snow has to fall, and I’d bet it’s sooner rather than later. Limit your time beneath this type of terrain, and if you're traveling near ridgelines, give cornices a little extra room. Even a small cornice collapse could hurt you, or knock you over.

If you're getting any early start to the day, prepare for extra firm surfaces, and bring the proper equipment to prevent a long, sliding fall.