Snoqualmie Pass

You’re more likely to encounter difficult travel conditions than avalanches in the mountains on Tuesday. The exception is the tops of the highest peaks where the rain didn't reach. Make plans that give you plenty of terrain options to manage a variety of natural hazards. 

An atmospheric river soaked our snowpack over the weekend, extending into all elevation bands. We do not know exactly how high the rain/snow line crept, but there’s a good chance it reached ridgeline on many peaks. 

This resulted in a wet avalanche cycle and liquid water seeping through the snowpack. Our concerns for wet avalanches have diminished enough to remove them as an official problem going forward, but that doesn’t mean they are fully off the table. Be cognizant of hanging blocks of snow on rocky ledges above you as you travel or slopes where you are plunging into wet snow past your ankle. The “warm” weather expected this week means we aren’t exactly throwing the snowpack into the freezer. But the short days and cooler nights should help the snowpack start to stabilize from the top down.

At lower elevations, freezing rain coated everything in a thin layer of ice and may have actually helped to preserve the depth of our early-season snowpack. This layer may eventually break down and be replaced by a breakable surface crust. 

East winds should gradually increase and potentially reach the moderate range, helping to cool the snow surface further and usher in low-level clouds. If there’s any dry snow up high, the wind might drift it into thin slabs. 

Travel conditions in the mountains are less than optimal. Low snow coverage, open creeks, holes, and exposed rocks/bushes are now joined by potentially firm surfaces as obstacles for you to avoid.