Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Mild weather will continue to keep wet avalanches at the front of our minds Saturday. This includes snow shedding from rocky faces and triggering isolated larger slides. Look for routes that help limit the time you spend on our below rocky complex terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    You’ll probably find plenty of wet punchy snow at mid and lower elevations. It may be harder to figure out if this snow could produce a real avalanche. If you see new rollerballs or find that when you push snow on small test slopes it starts to accelerate, then the scales are starting to tip. Stay off of near nearby steep slopes. Periods of rain, sunshine, and greenhousing could all cause the snow surface to go from wet and mushy to unstable and scary very quickly. 

    After several warm wet days, you could also see blocks of snow shed from rocks and trigger slides below. Similar natural avalanches occurred on Friday. During these “shedding” style events avalanches can occur with little warning. So, while these slides should be rather isolated, look for routes that limit your exposure to this potential overhead hazard.

    (4/7/2023)

    Natural loose wet avalanches below rocky complex terrain. 

    Photo: Patrick O'Moore

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    At the top of some of the higher peaks around the Pass, you’ll find several inches of fresh snow. Watch out for places where the wind was able to drift this modest storm into slightly thicker slabs. You’re most likely to find these wind-loaded pockets along exposed ridgelines and in the tops of chutes. Don’t let one of these shallow slabs catch you by surprise. 

    (3/24/2023)

    Example: A shallow human-triggered slab in a confined chute on Mount Snoqualmie. 

    Photo: Jourdan Harvey

Avalanche Discussion

Saturday is shaping up to be a bit of a transition day between storms. A little less rain and a bit more clouds should help limit the avalanche hazard. However, we’re pushing 3-4 days without a solid freeze. This can be when we see rocky complex slopes start to shed snow, cornices collapse, and glide avalanches fail. Keep your eyes on the terrain above you, and don’t hangout underneath any of these ticking time bombs. 

The storm the past few days didn’t really favor Snoqualmie Pass. Weather stations only recorded about 0.4 inches of precipitation as of Friday afternoon. However, snowlevels pushed high up the hillsides and topped out around 5500 feet. That means you’ll likely encounter wet punchy snow or a thin breakable crust at all but the highest elevations. 

Below this warm surface, much of the upper and mid snowpack continues to be cold, dry, and layered. A  deeper avalanche on the north side of Chair Peak this past week demonstrates the potential for isolated odd avalanches that may occur as this wintery snowpack struggles to transition to spring.

Regions covered