Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Expect that you may trigger wet avalanches on steep, low-elevation slopes. Watch for recent avalanches, rollerballs, and rain on previously dry snow as indicators. Give yourself options to move to lower-angle terrain if wet avalanches become a concern. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    You could trigger wet avalanches and they may even run naturally as wet precipitation adds up by the second half of the day. Expect them primarily below treeline on shaded northwest through northeast aspects where the upper snowpack previously remained dry and cold. With enough rain and wet snow, avalanches could extend onto southerly aspects and into the near treeline elevation band. Previously sun-exposed east through west aspects may hold enough of a surface crust that they may be resistant to softening. Pay attention to how much the surface snow is moistening and how easily it slides on test slopes.

    (4/4/2023)

    Natural wet avalanches, up to D1.5, occurred on steep, sunny slopes on 4/4. Lichtenberg Mtn, SE.

    Photo: John Meriwether

Avalanche Discussion

Expect the avalanche danger to increase in the afternoon and overnight into Friday. Warm and stormy weather will impact the area, though this isn't a strong storm pattern for Stevens Pass. Light rain and wet snow will fall on a primarily dry snowpack. Upper elevations will receive dry snow and wind, though not enough of either during daylight hours to produce any real avalanche hazard. Northerly aspects could be harboring weak snow surfaces and which may form a poor bond at the new/old snow interface. All of these factors will be important as precipitation adds up for Friday. While we're now well into April, the avalanche conditions and snowpack are closer to that which we typically see in mid to late winter. Much of the snowpack is nowhere near transitioning to typical spring melt-freeze conditions.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, a round of natural wet avalanches (up to D1.5) occurred on steep southerly slopes. Over the weekend, observations focused on loose dry avalanches and wind-affected slopes at upper elevations. Observers on Jim Hill found buried surface hour about 1 foot below the surface at the 3/31 interface. On Saturday, there was a round of small avalanches in storm snow and on leeward, wind-loaded slopes. Observers reported finding wide but small natural avalanches in the backcountry adjacent to Stevens Pass Resort and were able to trigger small wind slabs. Westerly winds drifted the 7" of snow that fell on the 31st. Now, you may find up to 1 ft of recent snow over a stout crust from the 31st. 

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