Forecasters warn weekend heat wave will bring dangers to mountains, lakes and streams
As temperatures across Western Washington top 70 degrees for the first time this season, weather forecasters are warning of increased avalanche risk and drowning danger from extremely cold water this weekend.
Highs in the low to mid-70s are forecast from Bellingham to the mountains of Whatcom County, about 10 to 15 degrees above normal for late April, said Dev McMillian at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“After enduring a relatively cool spring season up to this point, we’re expected to see the warmest temperatures of the year so far into the weekend,” McMillian said in the online forecast discussion Thursday, April 27.
Suddenly warmer temperatures will cause dangerous avalanche conditions for the next few days. The Northwest Avalanche Center issued a warning through Saturday for the west slopes of the North Cascades and said it may be extended to Sunday.
“The snowpack has not transitioned to a more typical and uniform snowpack,” the Northwest Avalanche Center said in a bulletin posted at its website Wednesday, April 26.
“The likelihood of wet snow avalanches and cornice fall will be elevated over this period. The warm-up will also lead to rapid snow melt at lower elevations, challenging travel conditions and other non-avalanche hazards,” the warning said.
Some 617 inches of snow fell in 2022-2023 at the Mt. Baker Ski Area, which closed for the season last weekend.
In addition, the weather service warned that rivers and lakes will remain cold despite the warm weather.
“The water temperatures are still cold, take precautions if going out on the water,” the weather service tweeted Wednesday.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 6:55 AM.
