Bulletin d’avalanche

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Fri
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
2 · Modéré
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 3 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

The avalanche danger is slowly easing as temperatures cool. The risk of wet avalanches remains a concern where the snow is wet and unsupportive, especially on steep rock slabs and unsupported slopes. Cold wintery conditions return to upper elevations, where you may find shallow drifts of snow on leeward slopes.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    A lingering chance for wet avalanches is maintaining moderate danger. While they're becoming less likely, the consequences are worth keeping in mind. Wet slabs could be large and could entrain mud as they flow downhill. Avalanches may encompass a variety of all things wet, including wet loose, glide slabs, and debris flows.  Glide slabs can release a large area of snow from overhead rock slabs or grassy slopes. If you find yourself sinking deep into wet, unconsolidated snow, don't go onto or linger underneath steep slopes and large features. 

    Upper elevations may be less of a concern for wet avalanches on Thursday as they begin to freeze. See more below.  Below 4,500ft, the snowpack is very shallow, with the lowest elevation slopes too bare for winter travel or avalanche hazard.

    (12/5/2023)

    A natural loose wet avalanche ran to the ground and entrained dirt adjacent to Skyline Lake. 5,100ft, SSE

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

After this week's deluge of rain, temperatures should cool from Wednesday night into the weekend. You can expect winds to drift shallow slabs of snow at the highest elevations. I don't anticipate drifts to be big enough to add to the avalanche hazard. 

Numerous wet avalanches ran on December 4- 6th as the rain soaked the feet of recently fallen snow. We still haven't gotten a great view or tally of these slides. Observers have reported avalanches up to size D2, with some running to the ground and entraining dirt.

Since November 30th, the Schmidt Haus weather station recorded nearly 8.5" of water equivalent; over half of that fell as rain starting on the 3rd. On December 2-3rd, observers found very reactive avalanche conditions. Most slides ran on the November 30th interface, which included surface hoar and/or facets over a slick crust. Observers reported; many natural soft slabs with wide propagation and widespread shooting cracks and whumphing. Most avalanches were in the D1-1.5 range, with a D2 reported. In classic Cascadian fashion, the recent rain has changed the Nov 30th weak layers over to melt forms.

If you get out, please let us know what you found by submitting an observation.

Régions couvertes