Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

If you and your partner are out playing around in the new snow on Saturday, be leery of slopes over 35 degrees. With multiple weak points in the upper snowpack, the new snow could break in surprising ways. Luckily, most slides should be small unless you're in wind-loaded terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The new snow could trigger easily on most slopes, but you might have to be in wind-loaded terrain to trigger an avalanche large enough to be consequential. With a good bed surface in place and weak snow lingering above it, avalanches could break widely or travel far distances. Look for cracking of the snow surface or heavy snow over weaker snow to indicate a slab problem. 

    Then use visual clues, such as actively blowing snow, drifts behind objects, or textured surfaces, to identify wind-loaded areas where thicker slabs may exist. The wind tends to drift snow into deeper piles near ridgelines or rocky features, such as the base of cliffs or confined chutes/gullies. If you suspect a slope is wind-loaded, head for more sheltered terrain.

    (2/10/2026)

    Actively blowing snow on Mount Snoqualmie this week. Winds can often sift storm snow into shallow slabs in rocky, complex terrain.

    Photo: Arya Farahani

Avalanche Discussion

Saturday is shaping up to be another potential heartbreak for winter lovers at Snoqualmie Pass. The storm is coming in a little warmer than originally anticipated, meaning mixed precipitation or even rain will fall at lower elevations. Although it's cooler than most storms this year, we're still not expecting a winter-altering amount of new snow. But hey, at least we'll get some fresh snow to play in at mid and upper elevations. At this point in the season, we'll take what we can get.

With weak snow identified on and near the surface before this storm, whatever falls on Friday night could fail easily on Saturday morning. Weak grains such as surface hoar and near-surface facets are either resting on or just above a burly crust - the 2/7 interface. The depth of this crust varies with aspect and elevation. Down low and on sun-exposed slopes, last week's snow may have undergone enough freeze-thaw cycles that it is now joined with the 2/7, forming a single complex. As you gain elevation or move toward shadier aspects, it may be as much as 8-10 inches down by Saturday morning. That's not a lot of depth over the 2/7 to create potential avalanches, but they could be touchy. The bond at this interface is weak, creating a second potential failure point in the upper snowpack below the newly developed 2/13 interface. 

The 2/7 crust is more than just a good bed surface for potential avalanches to run on. It doubles as a tricky layer to travel over. New snow should improve travel conditions, but open holes, creeks, firm crust, exposed rocks, and other natural hazards remain widespread in the mountains. This trip report sums up some of the issues with rolling out your regular playbook this season. You need to account for these challenges when creating your trip plans.

We know how much you all love NWAC. We love you, too. But in lieu of chocolates or flowers, you can show us how much you care by submitting an observation this Valentine's Day. Let us know whether those weak surfaces are buried intact or if you see snow breaking easily.

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