Stevens Pass

Stevens Pass will pick up a couple of inches of snow overnight. You could see very small avalanches in the new snow within wind-drifted terrain or sunny slopes as the day heats up. It won't be enough to significantly influence the avalanche danger, but consider the consequences when traveling in extremely steep terrain. 

Snow began around 3 pm on Sunday, and the area will likely pick up 2-4" by Monday morning. New snow will fall on melt-freeze crusts on most aspects, but there is a chance that weak, faceted snow could be buried and preserved on northerly slopes at upper elevations.

Skies are expected to clear quickly on Monday, and while the morning will start off chilly, sunny slopes will warm quickly in the March sun. You'll likely see rollerballs and maybe a small wet loose avalanche on these steep sunny slopes.  At upper elevations, very shallow wind slabs may form on steep slopes below ridgelines.  However, if wind slabs rest on weak snow surfaces, they can be surprisingly reactive despite their small size.  These small avalanches won't pose much of a hazard unless you're seeking out extremely steep terrain. Last week, Stevens Pass picked up 1-1.5 ft of snow, accompanied by strong westerly winds. We don't have much field data for upper elevations, but there is extensive wind effect, and observers reported natural wind slabs in White Pine Cirque.  On Friday, a skier triggered a large wind slab avalanche in exposed alpine terrain on Snoqualmie Pass.  We expect these large older wind slabs to be isolated and difficult to trigger by now, but uncertainty remains. So make frequent observations and err on the side of caution before committing to steep, wind-loaded alpine terrain. 

Friday was the warmest day of the week, and an NWAC Forecaster reported widespread natural wet loose activity by 10am. Another public observer reported similar findings. Now, these steep, sunny slopes have thick surface crusts with varying degrees of breakability. Due south aspects are more likely to be supportable for boots, while east and west aspects may be punchier. On Saturday, observers reported that even northerly aspects warmed up and now have a thin, breakable surface crust. Prepare yourself for low snow cover, open creeks, and icy surfaces, creating various travel hazards.