Avalanche Forecast

The avalanche danger will be listed as low at all levels in the Olympics zone due to low snow. 

Small loose wet avalanches may be possible in isolated steeper terrain where enough snow is present near and above treeline. 

Remember, due to the unseasonably low snowpack especially at lower elevations, numerous terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially or completely bare rocks and vegetation are widespread.  

Snow from a week ago has all been wiped away by rainfall and warm and windy weather that occurred Thursday through Saturday in the Hurricane Ridge area. The warm and mostly sunny weather Sunday did not help matters. 

Over the weeekend professional NWAC observer Katy Reid visited Hurricane Ridge and reported very low snow coverage with many snow-free areas on all aspects near and below treeline. There were no avalanche problems near and below treeline due to the abnormally low snowdepth. 

Katy ventured out toward Mt. Angeles Sunday to see how the thin above treeline band in the Hurricane Ridge area was holding up.  She found snowdepths averaging 40-80 cm on northerly aspects with a few drifts above 1 m. Snow cover quickly became patchy a few hundred feet below the ridge-line even on northerly aspects. Despite the warm temperatures, the snowpack in this area above treeline was well bonded consisting of melt forms and various crusts and did not pose an avalanche problem. 

Klahhane Bowl looking North, 1-25-15, Photo by K. Reid