Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Olympics.
Dangerous avalanche conditions are expected to develop in the Olympics Thursday afternoon. Careful snowpack evaluation and cautious route finding will be essential in this area.
Detailed Forecast
The next front will begin to move over the Northwest Thursday afternoon and night. This should mainly bring increasing moderate to heavy snow to the Olympics Thursday afternoon with increasing SW-W alpine winds.
Existing wind slab should linger and possibly further build on NW-SE aspects on Thursday.  New wind slab is also likely to build on NW-SE aspects Thursday afternoon due to the incoming front. Remember to watch for wind transported snow on other aspects as well in all areas.
Existing storm slab may also linger on Thursday.  New storm slab is also likely to build Thursday afternoon due to the incoming front. Storm slab is generally found on more sheltered slopes that experience rapid snow accumulations for several or more hours.
Remember to change your plans if the weather deteriorates sooner than expected in any area.
The cornice accident at Washington Pass on Tuesday is a reminder to avoid ridges or mountain tops where there may be a cornice and avoid slopes below cornices.
Loose wet avalanches also won't be listed as an avalanche problem but it is March so watch for roller balls and loose wet snow deeper than a few inches in you are on solar slopes in sun breaks.
Further increasing alpine winds and snow with a further increasing avalanche danger should be seen in all areas Thursday night and Friday.
Snowpack Discussion
Weather and Snowpack
The most recent wet warm storm arrived on Valentines Day 2/14 and formed the uppermost, very strong rain crust in the snowpack.Â
A series of disturbances in cool, NW flow aloft from Saturday through Tuesday caused periods of moderate to strong S-SW-W alpine winds at Hurricane.  The 4 day storm snow amounts look like about 10 inches at Hurricane.
See the information near the top of the Avalanche Forecast tab regarding the cornice accident at Washington Pass on Tuesday.
Recent Observations
No observations have been received from the Olympics in the past several days.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.
Wind Slabs form in specific areas, and are confined to lee and cross-loaded terrain features. They can be avoided by sticking to sheltered or wind-scoured areas..
Wind Slab avalanche. Winds blew from left to right. The area above the ridge has been scoured, and the snow drifted into a wind slab on the slope below.
Wind slabs can take up to a week to stabilize. They are confined to lee and cross-loaded terrain features and can be avoided by sticking to sheltered or wind scoured areas.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1
Storm Slabs
Release of a soft cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within the storm snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slab problems typically last between a few hours and few days. 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.
You can reduce your risk from Storm Slabs by waiting a day or two after a storm before venturing into steep terrain. Storm slabs are most dangerous on slopes with terrain traps, such as timber, gullies, over cliffs, or terrain features that make it difficult for a rider to escape off the side.
Storm slabs usually stabilize within a few days, and release at or below the trigger point. They exist throughout the terrain, and can be avoided by waiting for the storm snow to stabilize.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1