This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
The Northwest Avalanche Center (NAC) has issued high avalanche warnings across the Cascades, as a powerful atmospheric river sweeps into the state.
Rainfall can speed up snowmelt and increase runoff into rivers and streams. The combination of heavy rainfall and an unstable snowpack makes the region ripe for avalanches, according to the NAC.
Cascades face rising avalanche risk
Avalanches will be more likely in backcountry areas around Snoqualmie Pass. While the deep snow risk has eased since the weekend, warmer weather is creating more unstable conditions.
Dennis D’Amico, Forecast Director at the Northwest Avalanche Center, told KIRO 7 that wet snow avalanches can be especially dangerous because usual warning signs are less noticeable.
“With wet snow avalanches, especially as this goes further along, it gets really hard to take signs from the snowpack that it’s dangerous,” D’Amico said. “So the best advice is to stay away from avalanche terrain or really big slopes and overhead hazards.”
He stressed that awareness of the surrounding landscape is critical, as hazardous conditions could persist through the week.
NAC experts also noted the recent storms boosted the region’s snowpack.
However, future snowpack levels remain uncertain as spring approaches. Conditions over the coming months will largely depend on how quickly temperatures rise and snow melts, making it too early to predict summer conditions.
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