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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Highlights

Avalanche danger is Low in the morning but is expected to increase with sun and warming temperatures by late morning. You can still find dry snow on direct north-facing slopes, but even these may become moist with daytime warming, especially near and below treeline. Start early, and be ready to move away from steep slopes once you observe an increase in loose wet activity, rollerballs, or wet gloppy snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Friday marks the beginning of a gradual warming trend, and wet loose avalanches should be expected over the next few days. Avalanche danger should be Low first thing in the morning, but may quickly rise with direct sun and daytime warming. Start early, and stay on colder slopes in an attempt to 'beat the heat', but pay attention to wet, gloppy snow, snow falling out of trees, rollerballs, and loose wet avalanches.

    Loose wet avalanches could become large in larger terrain features at mid and upper elevations. These slides may also become larger if they begin to gouge into deeper, recent storm layers...but we're not sure when that's going to start happening. Even a small wet loose avalanche could be consequential if it knocks you off your feet and carries you into trees, rocks, over cliffs, or buries you in confined terrain.

    Small loose wet avalanches. Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

One to three inches of new snow fell by Thursday morning. Rollerballs were noted, but cool temperatures and cloud cover may have limited the extent of loose wet avalanches. 

On Tuesday, 6-10" of new snow got moist near and below treeline and froze solid overnight. Observers reported that avalanches were easy to trigger and some ran naturally where the sun warmed snow surfaces sufficiently. Wet loose avalanches occurred naturally on all aspects, especially at mid and lower elevations. Observers triggered small slab avalanches, mostly on leeward slopes, where the wind drifted thicker slabs. 

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