Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You may be able to trigger wet avalanches in areas of weak, wet snow.  Prolonged warm temperatures and lack of surface freezes are maintaining avalanche danger. For Sunday, expect even warmer temperatures and clouds.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    While it may be tough to trigger wet avalanches on Sunday, they could be forceful and run deeper. You may encounter areas of unsupportive, weak snow.  If you sink into wet snow up to your boot-tops, move to slopes under 35 degrees. Slopes that may have stayed firm at the highest elevations could melt and become weak. Consider the consequences of a cornice fall during warm weather. We've received multiple recent observations of large, broken cornices in neighboring zones.

    Surfaces that briefly froze during the week will likely melt from continued warm temperatures and recent light rain. Slopes below 4,000ft have seen significant transformation and melting.  Elsewhere, the snowpack is still transitioning to melt forms which adds uncertainty during this prolonged warm weather. 

    (3/23/2022) Numerous wet loose avalanches occurred above Lake Susan Jane on March 21st. NE-N, 4800-5,600ft. Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Warm temperatures and rain since March 21st brought a widespread cycle of wet avalanches (to size D2) early in the week. Ongoing warm temperatures further transitioned the upper snowpack to melt forms, especially below treeline on sun-exposed slopes. Much of the snowpack below the surface remains as rounds, especially near and above treeline and on northerly aspects.

While avalanches are unlikely on the March 8th facets, observers noted signs of instability in the middle of the month on northerly aspects above 5,500ft. Video examples below are now more than a week old. If you see similar warning signs, stick to lower-angle terrain. More recently this layer (about 2 feet below the snow surface) has likely gained strength through rounding and it may have even gotten moist. A cornice fall in the wrong place could possibly involve this older layer.

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