Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Loose wet avalanches are the primary concern if temperatures rise and the sun shines. Move off and away from steep slopes where you see fresh rollerballs or small wet avalanches. Use extra caution in steep terrain that could hold fresh slabs of wind-drifted snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Loose wet avalanches are possible - but not guaranteed - on steep, sun-exposed slopes. Right now, it’s a three-way tug of war between sun, temperature, and east winds. Tuesday had sun, but east winds and cool temperatures limited warming and kept wet activity mostly small and inconsequential.

    If east winds back off on Wednesday, temperatures warm, and the sun is still out, the setup will be there for more legitimate loose wet avalanche activity, especially on steep southerly aspects. Another day of moderate east wind would likely produce a repeat of Tuesday, with limited wet avalanche activity.

    Look for wet avalanches initiating in steep, rocky, treed, or cliffy terrain as the day warms. Most should remain small, but don’t assume they will all be that way. Fresh rollerballs, pinwheels, or moist surface snow are clear signs that the snow is losing strength.

    Fresh rollerballs and very small wet avalanches on the south face of Mt McCausland.

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

An NWAC Forecaster near Lake Valhalla reported moderate to strong easterly winds transporting snow onto westerly aspects. However, there were no direct observations of wind slab formation or reactivity in the terrain traveled. Isolated wind slabs may still exist in steep, upper-elevation features. Use caution when transitioning into wind-exposed areas, especially steep, high-consequence alpine terrain.

Warm air continued to push in from the west, but cold air east of Stevens Pass held its ground on Tuesday. Solar input helped initiate rollerballs and very small wet loose avalanches on steep southerly slopes, while shaded northerly aspects remained cold and largely unchanged. 

Snowpack observations 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. 

Regions covered