Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Identify and avoid steep slopes holding pockets of wind drifted snow. Anticipate a stormy weekend with heavy precipitation, rising snow levels, and rapidly increasing avalanche danger as rain falls on a dry snowpack.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Lingering wind slabs should be the greatest danger on Friday. They would mostly be found in upper elevation, alpine terrain, but you might find a few small ones at mid-elevations as well. Use visual clues like scoured snow surfaces, cornices, and drifts to figure out the wind loading pattern in the terrain around you. Simple tests like hand shears and small slope cuts can show the bond of wind slabs to the layers below. The easiest way to reduce risk is to just pick a lower-angle, more planar line to get around features holding stubborn wind slabs.

    (3/13/2024)

    Visual  clues help highlight where wind slabs may occur.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Friday should bring warmer temperatures compared to the past few days. Look for signs of instability like rollerballs or small wet avalanches as it heats up in the afternoon. You are most likely to see these below cliffs or steep tree-covered terrain. Limit travel on or directly below steep slopes where the snow is getting wet, mushy, and unconsolidated.

An NWAC Forecaster in Lanham Creek found generally stable conditions. Previous wet avalanche activity was noted, but clouds kept warming at bay for most of the day. Moderate winds transported snow at ridgeline, but minimal new wind slab development was noted. More signs of wind effect were seen in exposed, upper-elevation terrain. Recent storm interfaces were observed to be gaining strength. The weak snow at the January Drought Layer is rounding and showing minimal reactivity in testing.

 

 

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