Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

The greatest avalanche hazard Friday will develop when the sun causes the surface to become wet and sticky. You could see natural avalanches and snow shedding from rocky faces. Pay attention to the slopes above you and limit the time you spend on and under steep slopes once you notice the snow becoming wet.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Brief periods of sunshine this week will soften the blow from increasing sunshine Friday and should help keep this from becoming a widespread loose wet avalanche cycle. Even still, with plenty of recent snowfall, as the sun comes out and temperatures warm, you should start thinking about wet avalanches. When you notice the surface crust softening, see new rollerballs, or find wet and sticky snow anticipate loose slides on similar sun slopes. While we we aren’t expect lots of large loose wet avalanches, you could see a few natural slides occur, including blocks of snow shedding from rocky terrain. Pay attention to the slopes above you and choose routes that help limit the amount of time you spend on and under steep sunny slopes. 

    At lower elevations, lack of recent snow and wamer temperatures should limit the loose wet avalanche hazard. However, you might still trigger a small wet slide in very steep terrain. Even though it may be tiny, these avalanches can carry you places you don’t want to go like over rocks or into a creek.

    (4/16/2022)

    Example: These rollerballs occurred when the new snow became wet and sticky earlier this week. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Even though a passing shower could bring brief periods of snowfall to the Snoqualmie zone Thursday evening and Friday afternoon, there shouldn’t be enough new snow to create much of a problem. Instead, the forecast largely depends on the sky. If conditions stay cloudier than expected, you could encounter generally safe avalanche conditions. 

While the Pass has continued to pick up an inch or so of snow nearly every day this week, the bulk of the recent snow fell Monday night and Tuesday. During that storm 6-12 inches accumulated over the 4/18 interface at mid and upper elevations. The bottom of these storms is often marked by a melt-freeze crust. All the snow above the 4/18 crust could be involved in any wet avalanches Friday. Winds over this week likely formed pockets of drifted snow on a variety of aspects. At this point, any of these lingering wind slabs should be very hard to trigger. However, if you notice pillow-like slabs or firmer, hollow snow proceed carefully. While these avalanches may be unlikely, any older wind slab could fail 1-2 ft deep and grow large. 

Our current focus remains on the upper snowpack above the very prominent and stout 4/8 crust. In the Snoqualmie region, this layer is often found 2-3 ft below the surface. While we aren’t expecting avalanches that deep on Friday, we’re watch to see how the snow adjust to the warming weather.

Regions covered