Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Just because our stormy week is over doesn't mean everything is good to go. Ease into terrain slowly as you gain information about the big changes that just occurred to the snowpack. Slabs will be larger and easier to trigger as you ascend in elevation or in wind-loaded terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds were strong enough on Thursday to drift this week's low-density storm snow into slabs in leeward terrain. Visual clues such as fresh cornices, textured surfaces, or large, pillow-like drifts can help you identify wind-loaded areas to avoid.

    If you encounter wind-stiffened snow that feels hollow, retreat the way you came and find another route. The same logic applies if you notice long shooting cracks or see cornice collapses. These slabs could fail easily and break widely, particularly near rocky features or ridgelines.

    (1/8/2026)

    A shallow natural slab avalanche at the base of a cliff. This was at lower elevations.

    Photo: Andy Harrington

  • Storm Slabs

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

    There's a lot of recent snow out there. Continue to seek out interstorm layers that could fail before committing to a slope. Numerous interfaces have been identified in recent days above the 1/3 crust, and could produce avalanches on slopes over 35 degrees.

    Now that the storm is over, a combination of sunshine and a general warming trend on Friday could affect the snow surface. How that actually plays out in terms of avalanches could be interpreted in a few different ways.

    There could be your run-of-the-mill loose slides on steep, sun-exposed slopes. Or, with such low-density snow on the surface, a bit of solar input could be all that's needed for the storm snow to "slab up" and become upside-down. In this scenario, there could be a spike in slab reactivity, especially in terrain where it's often easier to trigger avalanches, such as convex rollovers.

    (1/8/2026)

    Cracking and block failure during an uptrack test indicate that the upper snowpack has slab potential.

    Photo: Tom Skoog

Avalanche Discussion

Winter lovers rejoice. This was the week Snoqualmie Pass had been waiting for. We're measuring new snowfall in feet, and coverage has improved greatly throughout the mountains. As we look forward to Friday and the upcoming weekend, a pattern shift is on the horizon with generally benign weather expected through Saturday afternoon. That doesn't mean that avalanche activity is over and everything is a green light, however. 

Numerous parties, including a gaggle of NWAC forecasters, have identified a graupel layer about a foot below the surface. Although not always a problem in relation to avalanche release, this particular layer appears to be failing repeatedly and is distributed relatively consistently across the hillsides. If the upper snowpack is stiffened by wind, solar input, or other factors, slabs could be more reactive and fail in surprising ways on this interface.

Elsewhere in the upper snowpack, interstorm layers have been identified but have not produced consistent enough results to be labeled as a problem for the time being. The deepest of these interfaces is just an inch or two above the 1/3 crust, which you can find at depths of 2 to 2.5 feet below the surface at mid and upper elevations.

Obstacles that were easily visible a few days ago are now buried just under the surface. Holes and creeks may be more hidden than in previous days, with only light and fluffy snow above them. In fact, the new snow could be considered a hazard. Don't get pushed over into a place you can't get out of easily. Keep your friends in sight and be prepared to lend a helping hand.

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