Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

There isn't much new snow out there, but you will still need to watch for and avoid deeper pockets of wind drifted snow in confined gullies, ridgelines, and at the base of cliffs. Most avalanches will likely be small, but consider terrain features, such as holes, cliffs, or ravines, where the consequences of being caught could increase.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Shifting wind directions with incremental snow this week have left textured surfaces in most exposed terrain at upper elevations. Most of these wind slabs are only 3-4 inches deep and don't present much of a hazard. So use your probe or pole to check the depth of this wind-drifted snow and focus on avoiding areas where you find these stiff snow layers to be greater than 6 inches deep. Ridgelines, rocky outcrops, confined gullies, or convex slopes are spots where triggering an avalanche will be more likely. Actively blowing snow and drifts behind objects can help you identify which slopes may have fresh wind slabs. While most avalanches would likely be small, they can still bury you deeply in ravines or knock you over in "no fall" terrain. If you suspect a feature to be wind-loaded, it will be safest to steer around it.

    (1/7/2023) Blowing snow and drifts can be used to help anticipate wind loaded features.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

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 produce much snow for the pass. This same pattern will likely continue tomorrow, with the east slopes of the Cascades picking up some fresh snow and Snoqualmie getting skunked. An inch here or there may fall from the sky and be quickly blown around by the wind onto various aspects. With minimal new snow, you will continue to experience challenging travel at lower elevations, with open creeks and hard icy surfaces. Poor visibility and windy conditions limited observations from the highest elevations around the zone, creating uncertainty around how large and reactive wind slabs could be at these elevations. However, 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. On Saturday, an NWAC forecaster reported plenty of wind-effected snow and stubborn small Wind Slabs in the upper Near Treeline elevation. While they found wind slabs too small for much hazard, there may be isolated pockets of deeper wind slabs at mid-elevations. So make sure to assess conditions before committing to any steep confined terrain features. In alpine terrain, there was plenty of snow drifting around, and it did not look like a suitable place to be for weather or wind slab concerns.  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. You can still find well-settled softer snow in more sheltered areas 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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