Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche concerns are mostly tied to snow clinging to slopes above you. Give snowy cliffs, glide cracks, and cornices plenty of space, or pass beneath them efficiently if needed. The continued warmth maintains the possibility of these shed-style slides occurring without warning.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    This is not the kind of avalanche problem you’re likely to trigger, or even witness firsthand. Still, a steady trickle of recent activity shows it hasn’t gone away. Warm weather may continue to produce glide avalanches, chunks of snow peeling off cliffs, or the occasional wet loose slide. Some of this activity has occurred on shaded aspects, so don’t assume sun exposure is the deciding factor.

    The main issue is unpredictability. There’s no reliable way to know when or where one of these features will fail. While unlikely, these avalanches would be large and have severe consequences if you were caught beneath one.

    Managing this hazard comes down to terrain awareness and exposure. Be aware of steep, unsupported terrain, sagging cornices, glide cracks, or snow clinging to cliff bands. Give these features a wide berth, and if you must pass below them, move through quickly and deliberately.

    (1/17/2026)

    A glide avalanche that overran a snowmobile road out of the Crystal Springs Snopark. Note the rocky slopes above where the slide originated. 

    Photo: Kyle M

Avalanche Discussion

Not much has changed as high pressure continues to dominate the western U.S. On Monday, you can expect another round of inversion conditions. Down low, it should be frosty and cloudy. But as you ascend, you'll find mostly sunny skies, unseasonably mild temperatures, and easterly winds. After several days of this pattern, the avalanche picture remains relatively stagnant.

Each night, the snow surface continues to refreeze, even in places where air temperatures hover above freezing. Expect firm, icy conditions first thing in the morning, where a slip could quickly turn into a long, uncontrolled slide. Temperature inversions, valley fog, and light easterly winds may keep some slopes locked up longer than anticipated. While sun-exposed terrain should eventually soften, shaded aspects often remain hard all day. On those sun-softened slopes, avalanche potential is still minimal, but you may be able to push a small slide if the snow becomes wet and punchy.

Beyond avalanches, the biggest challenge may simply be getting around safely. Recent rain and ongoing melting have thinned the snowpack, leaving open creeks, exposed rocks, stumps, and trees. Those firm crusts could create slide-for-life conditions in steep terrain, and coverage remains well below normal for this time of year. Careful route selection, proper equipment, and a conservative mindset will go a long way as we wait for winter to return.

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