Is Stevens Pass or Snoqualmie Pass better in snow?

It depends on the storm. Stevens Pass is about 1,000 ft higher, so it can be snowing there while Snoqualmie gets rain; I-90 over Snoqualmie is a divided interstate. Compare both on WeatherWeGo for the hour you would cross, and check the WSDOT pass reports for traction and chain requirements.

Do I need chains on Stevens Pass?

Only when WSDOT posts a traction or chain requirement. Requirements change by the hour, are set separately for each direction, and differ by vehicle; the WSDOT Stevens Pass report is the official source.

When does WSDOT do avalanche control on Stevens Pass?

Whenever snow conditions call for it, all winter. When possible the work is done between midnight and 6 a.m., with traffic held at the summit and at Scenic, eight miles west.

US-2 · WA

US-2 over Stevens Pass: road conditions right now

Monroe, WA to Leavenworth, WA

US-2 climbs the Skykomish valley from Monroe to Stevens Pass at 4,061 feet, then descends through Tumwater Canyon to Leavenworth. It is the main alternative to I-90 across the Washington Cascades and sits about 1,000 feet higher than Snoqualmie Pass, with avalanche control all winter.

Checking the forecast, NWS alerts, and DOT feeds for US-2 right now…

Why this stretch is hard in winter

The summit is 4,061 ft, about 1,000 ft higher than Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 (3,022 ft), so the same storm can bring snow here and rain there.
Avalanche control runs all winter; the "Old Faithful" slide zone just west of the summit needs it most often. WSDOT holds traffic at the summit (MP 64) and at Scenic (MP 56), mostly between midnight and 6 a.m.
WSDOT posts traction-tire and chain requirements separately for eastbound and westbound travel, and can close the pass on short notice for spinouts, collisions, and avalanche control.
Tumwater Canyon (mileposts 90 to 99, west of Leavenworth) was closed by washouts from mid-December 2025 to February 10, 2026, and has slopes with a history of rockfall onto the highway.

What this page checks

Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.

Official sources for this corridor

Questions drivers ask about US-2

Is Stevens Pass or Snoqualmie Pass better in snow?: It depends on the storm. Stevens Pass is about 1,000 ft higher, so it can be snowing there while Snoqualmie gets rain; I-90 over Snoqualmie is a divided interstate. Compare both on WeatherWeGo for the hour you would cross, and check the WSDOT pass reports for traction and chain requirements.
Do I need chains on Stevens Pass?: Only when WSDOT posts a traction or chain requirement. Requirements change by the hour, are set separately for each direction, and differ by vehicle; the WSDOT Stevens Pass report is the official source.
When does WSDOT do avalanche control on Stevens Pass?: Whenever snow conditions call for it, all winter. When possible the work is done between midnight and 6 a.m., with traffic held at the summit and at Scenic, eight miles west.

Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.

Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors