Avalanche forecast

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago.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

The new snow has improved travel conditions, but also continues to drive avalanche concerns. Expect more dangerous conditions as you ascend, in wind loaded terrain, and on convex slopes. With so many obstacles to hit, even a small slide could take you for a nasty ride.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    We don’t know much about the recent snow. As of Saturday afternoon, 12-18 inches sit over the new crust, with more on the way. As a result, any steep slope is suspect.  Down low, where it's been warmer, the snow may be slabby and fail on interstorm layers. Higher in the terrain, this could still be the case, or it may become loose and unconsolidated in sheltered areas. Keep tabs on how conditions change as you travel. Start out with smaller and lower angled terrain to gain information before you consider larger slopes. 

    Use uptrack tests and hand pits to search for strong over weak (slab) snow. If these observations produce cracks or fail as blocks, steer away from steep open slopes. If the snow sluffs, you’re likely dealing with dry loose avalanches. Any of these slides could run far and fast on the underlying crust.  

    In more exposed terrain, the wind may have helped drift the snow into slightly firmer slabs. With a few inches of fluff on top, these wind affected areas might not be super obvious. Wind lips and subtle drifts might be the only clues you can see. Since they’re hard to spot and assess, stick to lower angled slopes in wind exposed areas. 

    (12/20/2025) This uptrack test highlighted the slan within the new snow in the Alpental Valley

Avalanche Discussion

The last real break in the weather was a week ago. And that was nearly the only reprieve from two plus weeks of wet, wild, and mostly warm weather. Fortunately, the trend lately has been for colder temperatures and snow at Pass level. This certainly helped travel conditions, but we’re still quite a ways from ‘normal.’ Open creeks, random holes, plentiful Christmas trees, shallowly buried rocks, and exposed bushes make common travel routes more adventurous. 

While Sunday’s weather should stay cool, wet snow, or even a bit of rain, could impact the Pass elevations. Don’t be surprised to find heavier snow down low. In very steep terrain, you may even be able to push  a small wet loose avalanche.

Rain, sleet, and freezing rain on Thursday reached all the way to the top of Alpental, forming a new slick crust (Dec 18). This is a good snowpack marker. We don’t suspect any issues deeper in the snowpack. But it’s still early season, and information is sparse. 

The weather over the past few weeks has been extraordinary, with torrential rains, extreme winds, flooding, and landslides. Many communities are dealing with damage to homes, infrastructure, and businesses, stretching resources thin. These events have limited access to the mountains for all of us. State and local resources are working diligently to reduce the worst of these impacts. We can help by being respectful of local communities, obeying road closures, and heeding ski area uphill travel policies.

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