Snoqualmie Pass

Stormy weather is expected to return to the zone on Friday as we kick off the holiday weekend. New snow amounts shouldn't be enough to drive much avalanche potential initially. Instead, continue to focus on travel conditions and start thinking about where avalanches could occur once the snow stacks up.

Snow is in the forecast for Snoqualmie Pass! This first storm should deliver an inch or two on Friday. But by Saturday morning, we could have roughly 6" of snow at mid and upper elevations.  Unfortunately, there's a chance of mixed precipitation or rain at the lowest elevations, but overall, this storm is expected to remain relatively cold. In a winter where fresh snow is hard to come by, we'll take what we can get. 

Any new accumulations will be falling on a variety of surfaces within the zone. Soft dry snow, wind-affected snow, firm crust, breakable crust, ice, or even bare ground all exist. Weak surfaces, such as surface hoar, have been identified on many slopes and could be capped by new snow, creating a potential issue as the weekend continues.

But until more snow falls, you'll continue to find generally safe avalanche conditions in the mountains. Don't forget to use good travel techniques and keep track of how conditions change throughout the day. If Friday the 13th throws a curveball at us and the snow stacks up more than expected during the day, you could find that avalanche potential increases. Remember, no danger doesn't mean no danger. There's always the chance that unstable snow exists in the mountains if you're traveling in complex or extreme terrain. Don't turn off your avalanche brain and get tripped up near a terrain trap.

All avalanche activity this weekend is expected to occur above the 2/7 crust. You should focus your observations on the snow above this easily identifiable interface. On slopes that have received direct solar input in recent days, there may be a new surface crust in the morning. Or the new snow may have undergone enough melt-freeze cycles that it is now joined to the 2/7 crust, forming a single complex. In shaded areas, the 2/7 could be as much as 6" deep. Reports this week indicate that last weekend's storm snow is poorly bonded to this layer, creating slick travel conditions and causing snow to slide easily, using the 2/7 as a bed surface. 

The lack of a robust snowpack has made travel difficult this season. This storm won't be enough to alleviate these issues. Open holes, creeks, firm crusts, exposed rocks, and other natural hazards are widespread. This trip report sums up some of the issues with rolling out your regular playbook this year. You need to account for these challenges when creating your trip plans.