Bollettino valanghe

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Wed
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

On Tuesday, wet avalanches will be easy to trigger and could occur naturally, especially at upper elevations. Plan to be off of steep, southeast through southwest aspects before they get weak and wet. Watch for roller balls and natural avalanches as signs of increasing danger, as the sun and warm temperatures melt the surface snow.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Likely
    Dimensione
    1–2

    Be prepared for rising avalanche danger as temperatures warm and skies clear. Give yourself travel options of lower-angle and shaded slopes. Check how easily the surface snow slides as you change aspects and move through the mountains. The most likely places to encounter wet avalanches will be: At upper elevations, in steep, open terrain, and on southeast through southwest aspects. 

    This may be the first time in 5 days that upper-elevation snow is being warmed and wetted. There, avalanches could be large and run naturally from steep overhead terrain. Use caution around terrain traps, where avalanches could push you into rocks, trees, or creeks. It may be difficult to trigger these avalanches in the morning or at low elevations.

Avalanche Discussion

The big question for Tuesday is how much sun will make it through the clouds, and the extent to which it will melt sun-exposed slopes. If you see or feel the effects of the sun, expect that you could be dealing with dangerous wet avalanche conditions. 

Storms have added up to almost 2.5" of water equivalent. At 5,000ft, this has equated to 8-10" of moist snow. We're uncertain about upper elevations, but there could be significantly more accumulation (1.5-2 feet) there. On Monday, Stevens Pass Patrol reported dry snow at 5,500ft in the morning, which gave way to a small round of wet avalanches as precipitation switched to rain. In the past 2 days, an NWAC Forecaster and another avalanche professional found about 10" of moist snow over the January 28th crust around 5,000ft. Most of the top 2 feet of the snowpack was moist, including the crust.

Snow depths vary due to the lack of snow during January. Particularly on sunny slopes, you can find less than 3 feet of snow and patches of bare ground.  You can expect deeper coverage on the north half of the compass, with 6-8 feet of snow on the ground above 5,000ft. The mountains feature plenty of open holes, creeks, and exposed rocks. 

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