Avalanche danger is high over most of the Cascades as temperatures warm up heavy layers of packed snow, along with steady rain in the mountains. That's according to the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC), which is also warning against travel in avalanche terrain.
At Stevens Pass, the Washington State Department of Transportation said its avalanche control team was out until 6 a.m. Tuesday clearing snow from chutes in danger of falling onto Highway 2 and traffic below.
The avalanche risk in ski areas is managed by their own avalanche control teams.
NWAC cautions to avoid travel in or below avalanche terrain, including the west slopes of the Cascades and passes from I-90 to the Canadian Border, including Stevens Pass.
Snow levels rose from 4,500 feet to around 7,000 feet Tuesday. The Northern Cascades could see anywhere between one to two feet of snow through early Wednesday.
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