Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Strong and gusty winds will continue to redistribute the new snow at higher elevations and in exposed terrain. Where the blowing snow lands, potentially dangerous slabs could form. Use lower angle, wind stripped, and more sheltered slopes to slip around these wind loaded areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Sure, the storm snow is starting to stack up at higher elevations, but cooling temperatures, generally light precipitation rates, and a good bond to the old surface should help limit the new snow avalanches to wind loaded slopes. 

    You could encounter stiffer slabs along exposed ridges, beneath cliffs, and in the tops of chutes. While this problem is often easy to identify, it’s hard to assess. Unless the slab is soft, small slopes and uptrack tests could give you a false sense of security.

    With the winds still blowing on Thursday morning, these slabs will likely be the most reactive. Give them a wide berth and enjoy the soft snow in more sheltered or lower angled terrain.

    (1/6/2026)

    Example: Actively blwoign snow and scoured slopes can help you anticipate wind loaded terrain. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak layers continue to lurk in the upper snowpack. However, there hasn’t been any recent avalanche activity on these layers. The addition of a new crust under the fresh snow could help make these avalanches even less likely.

    The question isn’t the weak snow; it’s there. The question is, will it fail? It’s impossible to say from one slope to the next. Often, very steep, unsupported, or complex slopes are more likely to produce slides during these times. Or wind slab avalanches could act as a larger trigger, causing the underlying layers to fail. 

    Take time to talk about the consequences of this challenging problem with your team before heading onto steeper slopes.

    (3/3/2026)

    A snow profile on a sunny aspect highlighting the main persistent weak layer of concern. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Snow should finally return to Pass level by Thursday morning! Yay! Even if accumulations down low aren’t that impressive, it lets us put wet avalanches concerns to bed, at least momentarily. Storm totals may not be eye-catching, but the gusty winds throughout much of this storm are worth noting. 

On Tuesday, rain reached the tops of the highest peaks around the Pass. Snow levels slowly lowered on Wednesday. Even still, a few fresh natural wet loose slides were reported in the Alpental Valley. Eventually, all this wet snow will form a new crust. With the slow cooling trend, we expect the new snow to bond well to the underlying warm, wet layer. 

We’ve been tracking persistent grains for several weeks. They came to life during a storm on 2/21 with several reported avalanches, shooting cracks, and collapses. Since then, only a few isolated whumpfs have been reported. Here’s a breakdown

  • Weak layers generally above 4000ft. 
  • 2/13 Surface Hoar/Facets: Shaded aspects 4-6 inches above the 2/7 crust. 
  • 2/7 Crust: Facets just above this stout crust. All aspects. 

Coverage remains a major issue, especially at lower elevations and sunny slopes. Plan extra time to deal with all the potential obstacles. 

Regions covered