Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Olympics.
The avalanche danger will be listed as low at all levels in the Olympics zone due to low snow cover.
Detailed Forecast
Partly cloudy weather with a slight chance of a few light rain showers should be seen this evening to Thursday morning. Most areas will see no precipitation. Decreasing clouds should be seen Thursday afternoon and night. Winds will be light with a slow warming trend.
This weather will cause little change in snow conditions and an overall low danger. The avalanche danger will be listed as low at all levels in the Olympics zone due to low snow cover. The only limited avalanche problem to watch for should be loose wet avalanches above treeline. But the likelihood and size will be listed as unlikely and small respectively
Snowpack Discussion
Last weekend a warm front caused high snow levels and rain. At Hurricane this wiped away snow from January 18th and 19th.
Warm weather and some sunny weather Sunday to today further melted away remaining snow.Â
NWAC pro-observer Katy Reid visited Hurricane on Sunday and reported very low snow cover with snow-free areas on solar slopes. There were no avalanche problems near and below treeline due to lack of snow.Â
Katy also ventured toward Mt. Angeles. She found snowdepths averaging 40-80 cm on N aspects with a few drifts above 1 meter. Snow cover was patchy only a few hundred feet below the ridge even on N slopes. This snow was well bonded consisting of melt forms and crusts and did not pose an avalanche problem.Â
Klahhane Bowl looking North, January 25th by Katy Reid.
View looking west towards Hurricane Ridge from Klahhane Ridge on January 25th by Katy Reid.
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: South East, South, South West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely
Expected Size: 1 - 1