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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 7th, 2018–Feb 8th, 2018

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Coast.

Avalanche danger remains elevated with warm temperatures and high freezing levels through Thursday.

Confidence

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures near +3. Ridgetop winds light from the northwest and freezing levels 1500 m. Friday: Mix of sun and cloud with alpine temperatures near -4 and freezing levels 600 m. Ridgetop winds light from the north. Saturday: Mostly clear. Alpine temperatures near -14 with ridgetop winds light from the northeast.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Tuesday.

Snowpack Summary

A mix of rain and snow fell on a variety of old snow surfaces including crusts and moist snow at lower elevations. In high alpine areas like Sky Pilot and the Chehalis Range the more recent (saturated) snow has refrozen into a solid crust and the new snow may have a poor bond to that crust. At lower elevations snow surfaces are moist/ wet and have become unstable. The mid and lower snowpack are well consolidated with no significant layers of concern.

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.