NOAA and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) have issued an Avalanche Warning for all of Washington’s mountains at all elevations today.
“The Bottom Line: Very dangerous avalanche conditions are expected to developย late Monday night and lastย through Tuesday. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended Tuesday. Don’t be fooled if your area sees a mid-day break in the storm asย the avalanche danger will ramp up again in the afternoon. ” – NWAC, today
Avalanche danger is “High” (4 out of 5) for all elevations in all of Washington’s mountains today.
AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER WILL BECOME HIGH LATE MONDAY
NIGHT AND CONTINUE ON TUESDAY. BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE
TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. THE
AVALANCHE DANGER WILL ALSO BE ELEVATED ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CASCADES. - NOAA Seattle, WA today
NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Washington state and Mt. Baker ski area today.
They’re calling for 7-12″ of snow, then rain, and dangerous avalanche conditions.
* ACCUMULATIONS...7 TO 12 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IS LIKELY BEFORE THE
SNOW CHANGES OVER TO RAIN OR A RAIN AND SNOW MIX AFTER NOON.
- NOAA Seattle, WA today
Snow levels will rise as high as 4,500-feet and the top of Mt. Baker ski area is 5,000-feet.
* SNOW LEVEL...NEAR 3500 FEET...RISING TO NEAR 4500 FEET BY
MIDDAY.- NOAA Seattle, WA today
WINTER STORM WARNING for WASHINGTON:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 320 AM PST TUE MAR 1 2016 CASCADES OF WHATCOM AND SKAGIT COUNTIES- 320 AM PST TUE MAR 1 2016 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE CASCADES OF WHATCOM AND SKAGIT COUNTIES ABOVE 4000 FEET UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... ...AVALANCHE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR DANGEROUS BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE CONDITIONS IN THE CASCADES TODAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WARNING REPLACES THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT. * ACCUMULATIONS...7 TO 12 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IS LIKELY BEFORE THE SNOW CHANGES OVER TO RAIN OR A RAIN AND SNOW MIX AFTER NOON. * SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...MOUNT BAKER SKI AREA. * TIMING...PERIODS OF HEAVY WET SNOW WILL DEVELOP BY SUNRISE. EXPECT SNOWFALL RATES OF ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES BEFORE THE SNOW CHANGES OVER TO RAIN. * SNOW LEVEL...NEAR 3500 FEET...RISING TO NEAR 4500 FEET BY MIDDAY. * MAIN IMPACT...HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY THIS MORNING.
AVALANCHE WARNING for WASHINGTON:
BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING
NORTHWEST AVALANCHE CENTER SEATTLE WASHINGTON
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WASHINGTON
600 PM PST MON FEB 29 2016
THE NORTHWEST AVALANCHE CENTER HAS ISSUED AN AVALANCHE WARNING...
TIMING...IN EFFECT LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH 6 PM PST TUESDAY.
LOCATION...THE WEST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES INCLUDING THE CASCADE
PASSES.
AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER WILL BECOME HIGH LATE MONDAY
NIGHT AND CONTINUE ON TUESDAY. BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE
TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. THE
AVALANCHE DANGER WILL ALSO BE ELEVATED ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CASCADES.
REASON...A WARM FRONT MONDAY NIGHT WILL BEGIN A WARMING TREND AND
BUILD UNSTABLE LAYERS IN THE NEW SNOW THROUGH TUESDAY. IN AREAS
THAT SWITCH TO RAIN TUESDAY...WET SNOW AVALANCHES MAY BEGIN SMALL
BUT ENTRAIN RECENT SNOWFALL BECOMING LARGE AND DANGEROUS. STRONG
WINDS WILL BUILD WIND SLAB ON LEE SLOPES NEAR AND ABOVE TREELINE.