Olympics

A weather system will bring cooler temperatures along with some light snow showers and breezy ridgeline winds on Wednesday.  In areas that receive a few inches of new snow, you may see pinwheels or small wet loose avalanches release from very steep slopes or below cliff bands.  

The cooler temperatures forecast for tomorrow should generally help strengthen and refreeze older wet or moist snow surfaces.  The one avalanche problem you might encounter on Wednesday would be wet loose avalanches involving fresh snow.  If more than a few inches of snow accumulates on Wednesday, it won't take the spring sun long before the new dry snow begins to change.  If you see pinwheels or rollerballs, small wet loose avalanches may not be far behind.  In this scenario, use caution on or below very steep slopes where even a small wet loose avalanche could push you over cliffs or other terrain traps. 

This cool down follows a remarkably mild stretch since the beginning of Spring. Over the weekend, NPS rangers noted minimal wet loose avalanche activity in the immediate Hurricane Ridge area, but observed more recent widespread wet loose avalanches over in the Bailey Range. 

The upper snowpack has started its transition to a spring snowpack, replacing a layered cold snowpack with large melt-freeze grains of varying strength in most aspects and elevations. That said, NPS rangers over the weekend were still able to find a few areas in a state of transition on N and E aspects with drier snow sandwiched between crusts in the upper snowpack.  

Be prepared to navigate spring-related travel hazards like open creeks, rocks and trees.

2021-22 Forecast Schedule: Avalanche danger ratings will be issued for the Olympics every Friday through Sunday and during mid-week holidays. During the week when the Hurricane Ridge road is closed, forecast information will be updated daily to include expected conditions and relevant travel advice under the No Rating label.