Bollettino valanghe

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Wed
Alta quota
4 · Forte
Limite del bosco
4 · Forte
Sotto il limite
3 · Marcato
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In sintesi

7:30am Update: With higher snowfall totals at Stevens, we increased the avalanche danger at middle elevations to HIGH.On Tuesday, heavy snow and strong winds mean travel is not recommended in avalanche terrain. Avalanches will be very likely on steep terrain, especially where the wind forms deep drifts in the new snow. Watch for wet avalanches at lower elevations, where snow could become wet and slide easily on weak storm interfaces.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Very Likely
    Dimensione
    1.5–2.5

    Avoid slopes over 35 degrees and where you see actively blowing snow. High snowfall rates and strong winds will make natural avalanches likely. Don't stop or linger in runouts and areas with overhead avalanche terrain. Avoid steep slopes and defer to lower-angle terrain. Look for recent avalanches and cracking as obvious signs of instability anywhere you find more than 6" of recent storm snow.

    The most dangerous areas will be on the leeward sides of ridges at middle and upper elevations. Watch for blowing snow that points towards the loaded, leeward features. You could easily trigger large avalanches in sheltered terrain also. Observers reported a layer of graupel was buried near Stevens Pass Resort on the night of the 23rd.

    (12/15/2024)

    An example of a wind slab avalanche from earlier this season. 

    Photo: Ryan Minton

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    You may encounter wet avalanches where recent snow gets warm and moist. Older wet snow is less likely to be a problem. In the event that you find areas of wet unsupportive snowpack, move to slopes under 35 degrees.

    Small, loose wet avalanches in the new snow will be the main wet flavor. Keep in mind the consequences of larger wet slab avalanches. While these are now unlikely, Keep an eye out for glide cracks or large cornices or chunks of snow precariously hanging onto rocks. Don't linger under these features.

    (2/24/2025)

    Loose wet avalanche (D2) on Nason Ridge

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

As we enter the fifth day of this storm, precipitation will switch to more snow than rain. Forecasts have snow totals from Monday night through Tuesday in the range of 1-1.5ft with warm, heavy snow expected. More importantly, southwesterly winds will be strong enough to form wind slabs with strong gusts throughout much of Tuesday.

We don't have a lot of information from Monday beyond a few reports of wet avalanches on or adjacent to Highway 2 in Tumwater Canyon. On Sunday night WSDOT avalanche workers triggered a very large (D2.5) wet avalanche just west of Stevens Pass. A widespread cycle of natural wet avalanches occurred on Sunday, during early to mid-morning. There were many small to large avalanches (D1-2) on Lichtenberg Mtn, the Wellington path, the Skyline Lake area, and in closed terrain at Stevens Pass resort. Observers reported other larger (up to size D2.5) avalanches on Lumiere Ridge and the Fleur de Lis area adjacent to the Stevens Pass ski area, on Nason Ridge, and in the Swath avalanche path in the White Pine drainage.

Due to poor visibility and inhospitable weather, there's a lot of uncertainty about conditions. While rain fell on many slopes, terrain above 5,500ft has gained a decent amount of storm snow since last week. Wherever you travel, take time to assess the recent snow. You may still be able to find the January Drought Layer and other recently formed interfaces where the snowpack remained drier.

Let us know what you see by submitting an observation!

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