Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Choose safe travel routes far away from overhead hazards on Friday as the snowpack flushes out the recent rain. Look for wind-drifted piles of new snow at upper elevations and watch how this snow is affected by rising temperatures throughout the day. It could destabilize and produce small avalanches.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    As one avalanche professional reported on Thursday, “water is gushing out from between the snowpack and the rock”. This statement helps reaffirm our concern for potential Glide avalanches as we distance ourselves from yet another rain event. Although many of the prominent Glide slopes around the pass have already failed during the past week, some may just be reaching their point of failure. The timing of these avalanches is extremely difficult to predict since they can occur hours or even days after a warming or rain event. If you notice slopes contain a large crack in the snow or there are hanging blocks of snow and ice on a rocky ledge, stay far away from these ticking time bombs.

    (1/12/2022)

    A glide avalanche occurred on a smooth rocky slope on the night of 1/11. The entire season's snowpack failed, exposing rock as the bedsurface. On 1/18, an additional chunk of this slope failed. 

    Photo: Alpental Pro Patrol

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Cooling temperatures Thursday night and continued precipitation could bring a few inches of snow to upper elevations. Strong to extreme winds were reported on Thursday and even if they taper, could blow new snow into shallow Wind Slabs. Look for these slabs to develop on convex features, near the base of cliffs, the sides of gullies, or on the leeward side of ridgelines. Freshly built cornices, textured snow surfaces, or actively blowing snow may be present to help you identify these features of concern. 

    (1/4/2022)

    Snow likes to accumulate near rocky features such as the base of cliffs, creating sensitive slabs.

    Photo: Alpental Pro Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

On Thursday, Snoqualmie Pass was again soaked by rain up into the above treeline band. Although the highest of elevations may have been all snow, the majority of the terrain in our zone received rain until temperatures started to cool late Thursday afternoon. That cooling should continue into Friday morning, helping the upper snowpack to freeze from the top down and for a few inches of snow to fall. This cool down may be short-lived, however. Temperatures are expected to again elevate on Friday afternoon as we head toward a warm and sunny weekend. Look for wet avalanche danger to increase as temperatures warm and the snow surface destabilizes. Although Glides are our primary concern due to their size, Wet Loose avalanches could occur once the snow surface softens or in areas where new dry snow exists. 

Regions covered