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RegisterMar 27th, 2018–Mar 28th, 2018
Olympics.
The avalanche danger will decrease Wednesday with cool and cloudy conditions expected. Shallow new Wind Slabs may linger near and especially above treeline Wednesday. You can avoid triggering these avalanches by steering around steep roll-overs, unsupported features, and obvious start zones where you suspect Wind Slabs.
The avalanche danger will decrease Wednesday with cool and cloudy conditions expected.
Shallow new Wind Slabs may linger near and especially above treeline Wednesday. You may be able to trigger a Wind Slab avalanche at upper elevations on steep slopes near ridge tops or in cross-loaded terrain features. Watch for clues like variable snow height, drifts, cornices, and stiff snow that produces cracking. These are all indicators that you could trigger a Wind Slab. You can avoid triggering these avalanches by steering around steep roll-overs, unsupported features, and obvious start zones where you suspect Wind Slabs.
Small Loose Wet avalanches will not be listed as a problem but are still possible in isolated terrain features such as steep sunny slopes below treeline if the sun pops out for an extended period of time. Watch for warning signs like new roller balls, pinwheels, and natural Loose Wet avalanches that indicate increasing hazard. Even small Loose Wet avalanches may carry you into terrain with high consequences such as over cliffs or into gullies.
There was no significant snowfall accumulation Tuesday at Hurricane Ridge. Temperatures rose above freezing as the precipitation ended in the afternoon.
A skier triggered a Wind Slab avalanche late in the day Friday or early Saturday morning. Wind Slabs were formed by moderate to strong southerly winds redistributing 10" of new snow that fell Thursday through Friday. Wind slabs were found on northerly aspects near and above treeline and stripped snow off of exposed southerly aspects.
Weaker layers of sugary facets and thin crusts have been found within the snowpack. Recent observations suggest that these weak layers are not widespread. You are most likely to find older weak snow on East facing slopes about 1 ft (30cm) below the snow surface.
There are no other significant layers of concern in the snowpack at this time.
Observations
On Saturday, NPS rangers reported a small skier-triggered wind slab (40 ft wide, running 80 ft) wide on a north-facing aspect. North-facing aspects preserved soft snow.