Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger may rise significantly as you gain elevation and move from the forest into more exposed terrain. You might trigger a very small slide on any steep open slope, but wind loaded pockets could produce sizeable avalanches. Use lower angled and more sheltered terrain to enjoy the fresh snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong winds shouldn’t have any trouble turning the falling snow into firmer and thicker slabs. You’ll probably find wind loaded slopes in all the normal areas around ridges and below cliffs. Given the strength and duration of the wind event, you may also see wind affected snow well below ridgelines, cross-loaded on gullies, and even in exposed openings in the forest. 

    Bowing snow and freshly textured surfaces should help you decipher local wind patterns and anticipate potentially loaded slopes. Steer away from firm pillow-like slabs and steep slopes below wind lips and cornices. If you notice wind affected snow lower in the terrain, remember, this problem will only become bigger and more common as you head higher. 

    Cooling temperatures and a warm, wet old surface should help the new snow to bond well to the previous snowpack. However, you may trigger a very small storm slab or sluff in very steep or convex terrain. Unless we get way more snow than anticipated, these slides shouldn't be too consequential.

    (3/30/2025)

    Example: Blowing snow like this can help you anticipated potentially wind loaded slopes. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Wet Slabs

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

    Sure, it’s snowing, but the water moving through the snowpack won’t stop on a dime. Isolated, large, natural avalanches could occur, especially in rocky, complex terrain, and where blocks of snow shed off cliffs. There’s no way to know if or when one of these slides might release. These aren’t avalanches you can trigger. Instead, it's about managing your overhead hazard. Pay attention to the terrain above you. If you’re traveling below rocky areas or larger faces, move quickly, and regroup in safer areas away from this hazard.

    (3/8/2026)

    Several layers of wet avalanches above Source Lake. Some of these likely occurred Saturday night or very early Sunday morning. 

     

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

It's snowing!!! Cooling temperatures should bring snow well below Pass level Sunday night and Monday. With much colder air in place, middle and upper elevations could ring out some fluffy low density snow in sheltered terrain. Given the slow transition from warm to cold, the new snow should stick well to the old surface. Even still, you can track this as you travel with quick hand pits. 

On Sunday, rain once again reached the tops of the highest peaks around the Pass. Not surprisingly, several large natural wet avalanches were reported. Creeks ran high and fast, in some cases destroying commonly used snow bridges. After several days of warm and wet weather, water has reached the persistent weak layers. While they are wet, they will continue to be weak. As the snowpack freezes, we might finally be able to put these old persistent grains to bed. If you dig, you may still find the 2/7 crust above some much older and more developed melt form grains. 

It's nice to see a return to winter, but coverage remains painfully thin. Open creeks, random holes, exposed rocks, and downed trees all necessitate extra time to navigate safely. 

Regions covered