Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Olympics.
While generally safe avalanche conditions are expected Sunday, you can still trigger a small loose wet avalanche on steep sunny slopes or at lower elevations as the day warms. Look for signs of wet surface snow developing as you travel. Avoid slopes with terrain traps where even a small loose wet avalanche could have unintended consequences.
Detailed Forecast
Sunday should be a fair spring weather day with some building cumulus in the afternoon. Freezing levels should push to near 6000 feet after a cool start.Â
While generally safe avalanche conditions are expected Sunday, you can still trigger a small loose wet avalanche on steep sunny slopes or at lower elevations as the day warms. Look for signs of wet surface snow developing as you travel.  New rollerballs, fresh fan shaped avalanche debris, and wet surface snow deeper than your ankle all indicate the potential for loose wet avalanches has developed on similar steep slopes. Avoid slopes with terrain traps where even a small loose wet avalanche could have unintended consequences.Â
Snowpack Discussion
An inch or two of new snow with moderate south winds Friday night transitioned to partly to mostly cloudy skies with cool temperatures in the Hurricane Ridge area Saturday. No new avalanches were reported.Â
NWAC pro-observer Matt Schonwald visited the Hurricane Ridge area Friday. Initial warmth and sunshine Friday gave way to overcast high clouds as the day progressed. Melt-freeze crusts softened by late morning in the Hurricane Ridge area making for pleasant travel conditions. New snowfall received early last week has pushed the total snow depth in the near and above treeline bands to a seasonal maximum. Cornices were generally small in the Hurricane Ridge area. Only small loose wet avalanches were observed on steep sunny slopes Friday.  While several layers can be found within the snowpack, there are no significant layers of concern at this time.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Wet
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. They generally move slowly, but can contain enough mass to cause significant damage to trees, cars or buildings. 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.
Travel when the snow surface is colder and stronger. Plan your trips to avoid crossing on or under very steep slopes in the afternoon. Move to colder, shadier slopes once the snow surface turns slushly. Avoid steep, sunlit slopes above terrain traps, cliffs areas and long sustained steep pitches.
Several loose wet avalanches, and lots of pinwheels and roller balls.
Loose wet avalanches occur where water is running through the snowpack, and release at or below the trigger point. Avoid terrain traps such as cliffs, gullies, or tree wells. Exit avalanche terrain when you see pinwheels, roller balls, a slushy surface, or during rain-on-snow events.
Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1