Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

You may still need to manage Wind Slabs on specific terrain features as you ascend in elevation on Saturday. You’ll likely see a lot of wind-effected snow out there but hone in on piles that look “fat” in comparison to the surrounding areas. They’re the ones you'll want to avoid and are more likely to exist in confined gullies, on convex slopes, or near ridgelines.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Keep an eye out for wind-loaded features near ridgelines, rocky outcrops, confined gullies, or on convex slopes where triggering an avalanche will be more likely on Saturday. Flip-flopping wind directions impacted the zone this week, resulting in Wind Slabs developing in different areas than what you may be used to. Look for them on reverse aspects or cross-loaded mid-slope features by using visual clues such as identifying smooth pillow-like piles of snow or areas that look “fat”. Textured surfaces, fresh cornices, or drifts behind objects can help you identify which way the wind was blowing. If you suspect a feature to be wind-loaded, best to just steer around it at this time.

    (1/5/2023)

    Obvious signs that the wind has been a player at Snoqualmie Pass were in your face no matter where you looked on 1/5.

    Photo: Ian Nicholson

Avalanche Discussion

It’s been a windy, but not very snowy week around the Snoqualmie Pass zone. Despite several storm waves of precipitation coming through the region, none of them seemed to crash on the shores of the Pass. An inch here or there fell from the sky and was promptly blown around by significant winds onto a variety of aspects. 

Observations from the highest elevations around the zone have been limited this week due to poor visibility and windy conditions. This has resulted in a bit of uncertainty around how large and reactive Wind Slabs could be at these elevations. With so much evidence of the recent windy weather everywhere else you look, it’s not a stretch to say that triggering an avalanche at these elevations is still possible.

To some extent, the same logic could extend down into the upper reaches of the near-treeline band. But with several days of modest precipitation under our belts and minimal avalanche activity reported, we feel comfortable saying that Wind Slabs have trended toward unlikely triggering at mid-elevations. That's not to say that it’s impossible or that you won’t encounter lots of wind-effect if you travel at these elevations, so keep a keen eye. The last reported avalanche in the zone was a small pocket of Wind Slab on 1/4. On Thursday, NWAC forecasters and avalanche professionals reported plenty of wind-effected snow and stubborn Wind Slabs in the Alpental Valley. 

Besides the wind wreaking havoc on exposed areas throughout the zone, slopes that see direct sunshine may still have a sun crust formed on New Year’s Day on or near the surface. You’ll also likely encounter older Wet Loose activity such as rollerballs and avalanche debris from the same time period. In more sheltered areas, you can still find well-settled softer snow over the Christmas Crust. This easily identifiable snowpack marker varies in depth due to location in the zone, aspect, and elevation and we do not currently have any concerns below it at this time.

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