Bollettino valanghe

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
2 · Moderato
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In sintesi

Avalanche problems may transition from dry to wet as the weather changes on Saturday. Keep an eye on the snow surface as an indicator that the time has come to change your mindset. If you notice any red flag signs of instability such as recent avalanches or whumpfing collapses, dial back your terrain choices.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    Gusty winds and a shot of fresh snow on Friday night could leave some Wind Slabs at upper elevations for you to manage on Saturday morning. Look for these slabs to have developed on the leeward side of ridgelines or near rocky features such as cliffs and chutes. These slabs could overlay a thin crust that formed on Thursday, meaning they have a nice sliding surface to run on. In isolated areas, older and potentially larger Wind Slabs from earlier this week may still linger. Take a look for textured snow surfaces, fresh cornices, or smooth pillow-like piles of snow to help you identify wind-loaded features to steer around.

    (2/4/2022)

    Wind drifts and Wet Loose activity were seen on the slopes of Kendall Peak on Friday. You may need to deal with both dry and wet avalanche problems as the weather changes on Saturday.

    Photo: Charlie Hagedorn

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–2

    As the day wears on, temperatures should rise and clouds may start to dissipate. Once this happens, the snow surface could destabilize, resulting in wet avalanches. A wet and sticky snow surface, followed by rollerballs and pinwheels will be your first indicators that the time has come to put these avalanches on your radar. Wet Loose avalanches often start at a point, such as from snow shedding from trees and rocks, and fan out as they move downhill. As they descend, they are capable of entraining significant snow or triggering slabs. With plenty of snow available for entrainment above the Late January Crust and some uncertainty around persistent grain types at this interface, be sure you are managing terrain well by avoiding features over 35 degrees if you notice these avalanches.

    (2/4/2022)

    Wet Loose activity was observed in the Kendall Adventure Zone during a brief period of sunny weather on Friday. 

    Photo: Public Observation

Avalanche Discussion

Saturday should be a bit of a transition day at Snoqualmie Pass as we say goodbye to a week’s worth of snow showers and wind and move toward a return to warm and sunny weather. Periods of transition can be difficult for the snowpack and avalanche forecasters alike, and Saturday will be no different. Your best bet will be to keep an eye on the weather and snow surface to help you figure out which way the avalanche hazard is trending. If there is full sunshine and warm temperatures in the afternoon, or the 2/3 crust is breaking down, recognize that avalanche potential is increasing. On Friday, Wet Loose activity was reported, indicating that the 2/3 may have broken down in some areas. 

Below this crust sits anywhere from 6-20 inches of recent storm snow above the Late January Crust. We have been watching this interface and the amount of load above it closely this week. Weak snow has been identified at this point in the snowpack, but the distribution is difficult to pin down. Any slope that does not receive direct sunshine at mid to upper elevations should be suspect at this point. If avalanches were to initiate on these persistent grain types, they could fail in surprising ways by breaking above you or spanning further distances than you may be used to. As of Friday afternoon, we do not have any confirmed avalanches on this layer of concern, but some parties have reported that snowpack tests have been failing easily and in some cases propagating. This prominent snowpack marker is easy to find when you dig with your hand or shovel and should be an important layer to check before committing to any terrain on Saturday.

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