Snoqualmie Pass

With minimal avalanche concerns in the mountains, travel conditions will be the primary hazard on Saturday. Firm slopes capable of producing a long, uncontrolled slide should be taken seriously. Make travel plans that allow you extra time to move around safely and avoid natural hazards.

Upper-elevation stations dipped below freezing for the first time in almost 2 weeks on Friday. Although the sun was out, they had help from cold easterly winds. Unfortunately, this cooldown was not associated with any new snow, but at least if it's not snowing, it's sunny.

We'll be back to a more inverted regime on Saturday with chilly low-level temperatures and higher elevations warming throughout the day. Avalanche potential continues to be close to zero out in the hills, so go exploring with confidence. But remember that the mountains are inherently dangerous and can throw curveballs from time to time. Don't forget to use good travel techniques and consider limiting your time spent traveling below corniced ridgelines, glide cracks, or chunks of snow hanging on rocky ledges.

Speaking of traveling in the mountains, that may be the most significant hazard you face this weekend. Icy slopes are commonplace, leading to the possibility of long, uncontrolled slides. The rebound in upper elevation temperatures may allow softening of sun-exposed slopes throughout the day, but it's not guaranteed. Bring the right equipment to manage firm slopes, and know how to use it. 

You'll also need to manage open creeks, exposed bushes, rocks, holes, and bare ground. All of these hazards can add time to your travels. There's still plenty of fun to be had out there in the hills. So if you're out and about, send us some pictures of what you're getting up to and how beautiful the views are. You can do it through our public observation page or the Avy App. Maybe we'll put it in the forecast for Sunday!