Lawinenlagebericht

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sat
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 2 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Relatively higher avalanche danger exists in parts of the Olympics that received more recent snow outside the Hurricane Ridge area.  You may trigger a deeper wind slab on steep lee slopes at upper elevations.  Use caution near terrain traps if you find the snow becoming wet and heavy at lower elevations and on sunny slopes.  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    Moderate to strong S-SW winds will continue moving new snow at middle and upper elevations Thursday night before winds back off on Friday.  Wind slabs may be larger and more consquential at upper elevations and on other parts of the Olympics that have received double the amount of storm snow as Hurricane Ridge over the last 2 days.  In the Hurricane Ridge area, they are more likely to be shallow and potentially more stubborn to trigger. 

    Cracking in the new snow, blowing snow, sharp cornices, and wind-sculpted features are all indicators that you may trigger a wind slab avalanche on nearby lee slopes steeper than 35 degrees. 

    In more wind-sheltered areas, you could trigger a shallow storm slab within recent storm layers.  Steer around very steep unsupported slopes and convex rollovers in sheltered terrain to avoid triggering a storm slab avalanche. 

    (3/28/2024)

    Textured snow and drifting along ridgelines as well as pillowy or fatter areas under cornices will tell you which slopes are prime candidates for triggering a wind slab. 

    Photo: Kaitlin Harrigan

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    It's spring-time, so even on a cool, showery day we can't ignore the potential effects of daytime warming and occasional sunbreaks in-between showers.  Conditions can change rapidly in the spring; slopes that are cold and stable in the morning may be wet and heavy in the afternoon.  Natural wet loose avalanches may occur on steep slopes below rocky terrain during sunbreaks. 

    If you see signs of pinwheels, rollerballs or natural wet loose avalanches, avoid very steep terrain features and pivot to cooler slopes and simpler terrain.  Most avalanches will be small, but you don't want to get flushed into a creek hole or through rocks or dense trees. 

    Wet loose avalanches may run further and grow larger than you where the snowfall from the last few days sits over a firm crust. 

    (3/7/2024)

    Look for rollerballs as a sign of increasing wet loose avalanche potential on steep sunny slopes. 

    Photo: Kaitlin Harrigan

Avalanche Discussion

Observers in the Hurricane Ridge area found a wind-sculpted landscape after 2 stormy days.  Up to 10" (25cm) of storm snow sit above the 3/23 crust in the Hurricane Ridge area on west and north aspects above 5000'.  On southerly aspects, that aren't stripped, about 2-4" is above the firm 3/23 crust.  Winds had scoured windward slopes down to bare ground in places.  Good stability was observed in the immediate Hurricane Ridge area below 5500'.  In the central and eastern parts of the range, over 2" of water since Wednesday has translated into 1-2' of new snow above 4000'.  The avalanche size and the danger will likely be a full notch higher in other parts of the Olympics including the Mt Ellinor area.  

If you're out in the snow, share your observations with us and your local backcountry community.

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