Stevens Pass

Clouds and cooling temperatures will keep the chances of avalanches to a minimum. You may see recent evidence of both loose avalanches and wind-transported snow. While it's good to keep these factors in mind, the related avalanches should be unlikely.

Thick clouds and moderate temperatures will end any avalanche danger. On the 28th, 30th, and 31st, both sun and warming temperatures caused small loose avalanches on southerly slopes. Many resulted from tree bombs falling onto steep slopes. Earlier in the week, these avalanches were likely dry. Many on Wednesday could have been wet. There's still a battle between warm air west of Stevens Pass and cold air to the east. On Wednesday, upper and middle elevations warmed to above freezing. Temperature inversions are keeping the valleys and low elevations cold. 

On the 30th, an NWAC Forecaster near Lake Valhalla reported moderate to strong easterly winds transporting snow onto select favored slopes. Easterly winds are uniquely terrain-driven. So, drifting may have occurred in some areas where winds accelerated through mountain gaps, but not in similar nearby terrain. You may still find isolated wind-drifted snow at upper and middle-elevation features. It should be difficult to trigger a wind slab avalanche.

Snowpack observations from the past week continue to point toward generally stable conditions. Notably, the December 24 crust was absent around 5,500 feet and was found roughly 12 inches below the surface near 5,000 feet. Northerly aspects remain cold with dry snow, while solar-affected slopes are seeing the most change. 

An incoming storm on Thursday night to Friday will change the east/west airmass dynamic a bit. We expect light precipitation, and the question is how much will be rain versus snow.