The forecast snow, snow line and ice over Stevens Pass (US-2) and Blewett Pass (US-97) — the roads out of town that snow up in winter — with WSDOT's live road status for each.
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From Town Tools. For the current version, visit https://www.towntools.org/leavenworth-washington-us/snow-on-the-passes
Leavenworth sits in the valley at about 1,200 ft, where it rarely snows hard — but the roads out climb over passes that do. This is the forecast weather over each summit: how much snow is coming, how low the snow line is dropping, and whether a cold, wet night could ice the road. It does not tell you whether a road is open — Stevens Pass closes for avalanche control and storms even when little new snow falls, and Tumwater Canyon between here and the summit floods and slides. Check WSDOT's live status for each pass before you set out.
No snow forecast on the passes.
Modelled forecast, as of Mon 4:51 AM. Refreshed about every half hour.
In winter WSDOT posts traction-tire and chain requirements on the passes when conditions call for them — they are not set by the calendar. "Traction tires advised" means recommended; "required" means approved snow or all-season tires (marked M+S or with the mountain-snowflake symbol) on passenger cars; "chains required" means most vehicles must chain up. Vehicles over 10,000 lb must carry chains from November 1 to April 1.
Pass by pass
Stevens Pass (US-2, west to Everett & Seattle)
No snow forecast.
Snow line staying around 6,700 ft, above the 4,062 ft summit.
US-2's highest point, 4,061 ft on the Cascade crest by the ski area. The main way west — and the one that closes for snow and for planned avalanche control through the winter.
When WSDOT posts traction-tire or chain requirements on US-2, they apply here. Carry chains in winter even if your tires are good.
Road status: WSDOT — Stevens Pass (US-2) reportWSDOT's live US-2 conditions, restrictions, closures and pass cameras. This is the authority on whether Stevens Pass is open.
Blewett Pass (US-97, south to Cle Elum & I-90)
No snow forecast.
Snow line staying around 6,100 ft, above the 4,101 ft summit.
The 4,102 ft pass on US-97 toward Cle Elum and I-90 — the long way round, and the usual detour when US-2 shuts. It snows and ices too.
Traction-tire and chain requirements apply here when WSDOT posts them.
This shows the weather over the tops, not whether the road is open
Whether a pass is open is WSDOT's decision — they post the conditions, run avalanche control, and close and reopen the roads. This page only forecasts the weather over each summit; it never says a road is open or closed. A pass can close for ice, a crash or clearing even when little snow falls — and stay open in snow that is being kept clear. Whether a road is actually open is an official decision, not something this page can tell you. Check the status for each pass below before you set out.
WSDOT app & alertsThe WSDOT app and social feeds push pass closures fastest. (The old 511 phone line was shut off in 2023 — use the app or the web map instead.)
Mountain forecasts lead with the snow line — the height snow is falling to. When it drops below a pass summit and there's moisture about, snow falls on the road itself. Stevens Pass tops out at 1,238 m (4,061 ft), so a snow line down around 1,200 m means snow on the pass.
When Stevens Pass closes, US-97 is the long way around
If US-2 over Stevens Pass shuts, US-97 over Blewett Pass is the main paved route south to Cle Elum and I-90 — longer, and it snows too. For staying local, the Chumstick Highway (SR 209) links Leavenworth and Plain. Check every pass you'd cross before deciding which way to go.
Avalanche control closes the pass even on clear days
WSDOT regularly closes US-2 over Stevens Pass for planned avalanche control during and after storms, holding traffic at the summit until the slopes are cleared — so the pass can be shut even when little new snow is falling. In January 2022 a heavy avalanche cycle closed US-2 and the other Cascade passes for about a week.
Tumwater Canyon is a separate hazard from the pass
Between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass, US-2 runs through Tumwater Canyon — a river-level gorge, not a snow summit, that floods and drops rock. In December 2025 an atmospheric-river flood washed out US-2 here and closed it for about two months (it reopened February 10, 2026). WSDOT also has permanent repaving planned on US-2 through the canyon and Stevens Pass in summer 2026, which may bring daytime closures. WSDOT's US-2 page carries all of this.
Fetched Mon 4:51 AM. These are modelled estimates for each summit, not measurements, and not a decision about the road. Weather data by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).