Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 15th, 2015–Feb 16th, 2015

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Olympics.

Most areas of the Olympics lack snow for avalanches. The only problem to watch for Monday should be possible loose wet avalanches on solar slopes of the highest peaks of the Olympics.

Detailed Forecast

An amplifying upper ridge over the US and BC coastal waters will dominate the weather the next few days. This will cause sunny, warm weather in the Olympics and Cascades Monday and early next week.

The only problem to watch for Monday should be possible loose wet avalanches on solar slopes of the highest peaks of the Olympics.

Otherwise little change is expected until significant new snowfall is received.

Snowpack Discussion

The meager amounts of snow left in the Hurricane Ridge vicinity are not currently creating an avalanche problem near or below treeline. South slopes at Hurricane are devoid of snow. On shaded or north slopes near and above treeline, there are up to a few feet of stable and consolidated rounded grains or melt forms and crusts.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.