Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Another spring day is in store for the Pass on Easter Sunday. Once the surface gets wet and weak, hop over to shaded slopes where these avalanches are less likely. Be mindful of overhead hazards and don't get caught off guard by one of these slides near a terrain trap.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Wet avalanche activity will remain the primary concern on Sunday. The sun and warm temperatures will likely need to break down a surface crust. Once that happens and the snow becomes wet and weak, you'll start to see rollerballs, pinwheels, and eventually wet avalanches. We expect the majority of these slides to be loose avalanches, which often start at a point near rocks or trees. They can grow large and powerful as they descend and gather snow. In some areas, they could even trigger slabs. Your best management tool will be to stick to shaded slopes to avoid these difficult-to-predict slides.

    In isolated locations, larger, more unpredictable shed-style avalanches could occur. Cornice collapses, glides, or even wet slabs could happen over the next few days. Keep an eye on the terrain above you, and don't linger where you see precariously hanging blocks of snow. Give cornices plenty of space; they are notorious for breaking back further than you might expect.

    (3/30/2024)

    Wet avalanche activity coming out of steep rocky terrain on a sunny Saturday.

    Photo: Irina Kopyeva

Avalanche Discussion

Preliminary Report: NWAC is saddened to report an avalanche fatality as a result of a cornice fall on Mount St. Helens. On Saturday, March 30, 2024, a snowboarder summited the peak. While standing near the top, he triggered a cornice and fell to his death. Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community. 

Discussion:

Sunday is expected to be similar to Saturday, except with a bit more wind and clouds. These weather changes could help bring wet avalanche activity down a notch. It certainly won't be enough to eliminate avalanche potential entirely. An increase in activity and potentially the size is anticipated for Monday as temperatures skyrocket and we lose the wind.

Take these predictions with a grain of salt. It can be challenging to pinpoint precisely when wet avalanche cycles will peak. Often, we see activity wax and wane during these multi-day warm-ups. Sunday will be another day when the likelihood of dry avalanche problems diminishes, replaced by wet avalanche concerns. Continue to stay vigilant and know that at some point over the next few days, larger and more dangerous avalanches will occur. Cornice collapses, wet slabs, glides, and other shed-style avalanches usually start to peak after a few days of warm and sunny weather.

Most aspects likely contain moist surfaces in some form. Whether they're wet and punchy, a melt-freeze crust, or something in between, you'll be able to identify the slopes that have the potential for wet avalanches. Under the moist surface, you might find this week's dry storm snow over a prominent melt-freeze crust from our last major warm-up event. This crust is expected to be 1-2 feet down and could make an excellent sliding surface for potential avalanches to run on. We anticipate most avalanche activity to occur above this easily identifiable interface during this event.

As you head for shadier slopes, drier snow could exist on the surface, particularly at upper elevations. The same melt-freeze crust is lingering a few feet below the surface. We dropped the official wind slab problem from the forecast, but if you're going to trigger an avalanche in dry snow, it will likely be in wind-loaded terrain. 

Our snowpack has taken a beating at lower elevations, and the warm and sunny weather won't help. You'll likely find punchy wet snow, patchy coverage, and exposed creeks/holes. Avalanche potential may be minimal, but you could see activity at the upper end of the lower elevation band.

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