Local

Heavy rain brings high avalanche danger to mountain passes

An atmospheric river moving across Western Washington is causing high avalanche danger in parts of the Cascades.

Snow in the mountains will eventually turn to rain on Thursday, and that combination, along with warmer temperatures, will cause dangerous conditions.

The Northwest Avalanche Center in Seattle has issued an Avalanche Warning for the west slopes of the Cascades from the Canadian Border to King County, including the mountains in the Mount Baker area, Highway 542, Highway 20 west, and the Mountain Loop Highway.

The warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.

It will also be blustery at times, especially in the Cascade foothills.

The Washington State Department of Transportation did avalanche control work on Stevens Pass at 8 a.m. The highway reopened shortly before 9:30 a.m.

Highway 2 is currently closed east of Stevens Pass near Coles Corner through Tumwater Canyon in the Leavenworth area due to avalanche concerns. The stretch of highway was closed at midnight on Wednesday, and there is no estimated time for reopening.

A detour is available on State Route 207 and the Chumstick Highway.

WSDOT spokesperson Lauren Loebsack says crews will likely have to wait for the weather to clear up before they can reopen the road.

“When you get the rain and snow mix that we’re seeing, that started last night, that is a recipe for an avalanche,” said Loebsack.

Thursday morning, avalanche control crews forced eastbound drivers to stop before reaching the Stevens Pass summit. Skier Marty Gibbins was among those that had to wait.

“Just a mile below the hairpin turn coming up here they stopped us, stopped the whole line for avalanche control,” said Gibbins. “We could hear the guns going off in the distance.”

According to WSDOT, its easier to clear out slide zones on the westside of the ski area than it is on the eastside. Particularly along the nine mile stretch of Tumwater Canyon, just before Leavenworth.

“It’s a very narrow mountain canyon,” said Loebsack. “Almost the entirety of the road is directly at the bottom of what’s known as an avalanche or slide path.”

Rainfall totals in the Cascades from Thursday night through Friday are expected to be in the range of 2 to 5 inches below 5,000 feet, according to KIRO 7 Meteorologist Nick Allard.

The Northwest Avalanche Center’s backcountry forecast for the Snoqualmie Pass area says multiple rounds of natural avalanches are expected and all avalanche terrain should be avoided until the storm is over.

The backcountry forecast for the Stevens Pass area says dense new snow and gradually warming temperatures are expected to create very dangerous avalanche conditions.

“Thursday isn’t the day to go into avalanche terrain, especially higher on the mountain. Avalanches could be large, very easy to initiate, and could run naturally,” the forecast said.