Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

An atmospheric river will soak our dry and layered snowpack, resulting in widespread avalanche activity. Very large natural avalanches are expected that could run long distances toward valley bottoms or into the forest. Traveling anywhere an avalanche can start, run, or stop is not recommended.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3

    Soaking rain, strong winds, and warm temperatures will overload our predominantly cold and dry snowpack, resulting in large and potentially destructive avalanches. Yes, there will be snow overnight and possibly the morning before freezing levels rise above the tops of the peaks, but that's not the main story. As rain starts to fall, you will initially see wet loose avalanches release. As water reaches any one of the numerous interfaces in the upper snowpack, expect larger and more dangerous wet slabs to begin to fail. Along ridgelines, sensitive cornices formed during our recent windy storms will start to sag and collapse. You may even see a few glides on rocky ledges. Needless to say, there will be a multitude of wet avalanche problems on Sunday, and they're all impossible to predict or manage. Don't try to outsmart this one or cut it close. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. 

    (1/5/2025)

    This wet avalanche ran from slopes far above down through the forest and crossed a hiking trail earlier this season.

    We have much more snow and avalanche paths are more filled in now, meaning similar slides could run even further on Sunday.

    Photo: Evan Wendel

Avalanche Discussion

Thus concludes our Miracle March. It was an excellent run for winter enthusiasts and powder lovers. On Sunday, an atmospheric river will end our cold, stormy period and symbolically usher in the start of springtime.

The upper snowpack currently consists of several feet of cold and layered snow over a crust formed during our last atmospheric river. On Saturday, numerous shallow slabs were reported as the mountains started to shed the uppermost layer of the snowpack. This process will only continue over the next 24-48 hours, with several rounds of natural avalanches expected. The only questions are: how deep does the water percolate, and how large will the avalanches be? The first question isn't easy to answer.  When it comes to the size,  any avalanche could entrain significant snow and grow large as it descends. Some may be large enough to break trees. Because of this, you won't want to try to sneak around at lower elevations or other "safe" forested areas. Wet slides descending from above will likely be unsurvivable. Again, travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended on Sunday. This means you should avoid anywhere an avalanche can start, run, or stop.

This atmospheric river is smaller and shorter than others we've experienced in the past, but the combination of warm, wet, wind, and a layered snowpack makes it unique. It remains to be seen if it will continue through Monday.

Regions covered