Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Dangerous avalanche conditions are expected to continue with a weak, saturated snowpack at all but the highest elevations. New snow should land on warm, wet surfaces and will create wet loose avalanche danger anew. Wet avalanches of all types could gouge into deeper layers, becoming large and destructive slides.  If you go into the mountains, stay off of and away from steep slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Wet snow avalanches of all types could run naturally overnight and on Monday. With the snowpack becoming saturated up to 6,000ft, heavy, wet slides could churn downhill on long steep slopes. Slides could begin to gouge deeper into the snowpack as the warm temperatures and rain are creating punchy, unsupportable conditions. Fresh chunky avalanches will be good indicators of these dangerous conditions. Glide rates have increased, so glide avalanches may begin to release. Wet slabs could also release naturally in isolated locations. With any of these, you wouldn't want to be underneath them.

    With all of the above, the travel advice is clear- stay off of and away from steep slopes on Monday while the snowpack undergoes a transition period. Stay out from underneath large steep slopes as slides could pile up deeply into gullies.

    (4/9/2023)

    Wet loose debris on Lichtenberg. This may be a few days old.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

Precipitation rates have become heavy as I write this, and its likely raining to at least 6,000ft. I took a drive up to the pass on Sunday and found wet loose avalanches of all ages and sizes. SPMR noted a cycle of small wet loose slides, and they were able to trigger them easily during the day. Glide cracks have begun to open up at all elevations, with some in places you don't often see them. It's safe to say we'll see natural avalanches overnight into Monday, but theres uncertainty to what extent and how large they might become. In any case, the chances are increasing for larger, more destructive avalanches as warmer temperatures and heavier rain continue to weaken the snowpack.

On northerly aspects above 6,000ft, you could still find drier snow. In these few islands of true alpine terrain in the zone, storm snow may be piling up deeply. Last week, observers on Jim Hill found buried surface hour about 1 foot below the surface near the 3/31 interface. This layer could become overloaded and create large slabs in very isolated locations (N facing above 5,500ft).

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