Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Prepare for a gorgeous weekend of weather at Snoqualmie Pass. The warm temperatures could cause large blocks of snow to fall from slopes above you without warning. Make travel plans that limit your exposure to overhead hazards and allow you to navigate open creeks or firm surfaces safely.

Avalanche problems

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Unusual weather can result in unusual avalanches. Although unlikely, be on the lookout for blobs of snow falling from snowy cliffs or sagging cornices failing and triggering slides on the slopes below. Backcountry skiers discovered fresh debris piles from this style of avalanche on Friday. Surprisingly, most of these were on the shaded side of the dial, not the sunny slopes. Regardless of aspect or elevation, there's still enough snow clinging to the rocks, and the weather is warm enough that we can't reasonably deem conditions generally safe, particularly when we're talking about natural avalanches large enough to have serious consequences. 

    You can't really predict which slopes could fail or when. Your best mitigation tool is to plan your travel so you spend as little time as possible below precariously hanging blocks of snow, glide cracks, or sagging cornices.

    (1/16/2026)

    A large shed-style/glide avalanche on the North Slopes of Chair Peak. This slide is recent and obliterated a common ski descent to Snow Lake.

    Photo: Jonathan Spitzer

Avalanche Discussion

There should be beautiful weather in the mountains this weekend. Bright sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures will be accompanied by easterly winds and possibly some low-level clouds at pass level. It's been like this for several days now as we distance ourselves from an atmospheric river that delivered roughly 2 inches of rain to Snoqualmie Pass on the tail end of last weekend. 

That rain, combined with warmer-than-usual temperatures, resulted in a wet avalanche cycle this week. Although the cycle is over, lingering instability remains. Blocks of snow clinging to rocky ledges, sagging cornices, and other unpredictable slides continue to pose a risk to backcountry travelers. A close call on Thursday highlights the issue and the challenges in knowing what is high above you at all times.

That threat may not be evident when you step out of your car. Clear winter nights have provided sufficient radiational cooling to form a firm surface crust, creating slick and potentially dangerous travel conditions in the morning hours. On slopes that receive direct sunshine, this surface crust has softened or even broken down in some places during the late morning to early afternoon . Other locations have remained firm throughout the day. Expect similar conditions on Saturday, except that those easterly winds may help keep the surface firmer for longer.

Overall, snowpack depth has decreased over the past week due to the rain and sunshine. Compared to the 30-year average, we're currently just shy of 50% of normal in our zone. That has resulted in natural hazards persisting longer into this winter than usual. Open lakes and creeks pose a danger to travelers. Holes, rocks, and stumps create obstacles to avoid. And the firm, slick crusts have created slide-for-life conditions. If you're heading to the mountains, bring the right equipment to navigate all of these hazards and know how to use it.

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