Avalanche Forecast

A transitory ridge of high pressure should move across the area Saturday to allow for cool weather, light winds and some possible sun breaks. This weather should allow for a slow improving trend as recent storm and wind slab slowly settle and strengthen. 

Avoid terrain where wind may have built isolated wind slab layers, mainly higher elevations near ridges, most likely on a wide variety of aspects..    

Avalanche problems Saturday should continue to be associated with recent storm and wind slab layers. Avalanches should be confined to the new storm snow since Thursday, but a few may step down to older storm layers or crusts in isolated locations.  

Terrain anchors are still causing significant anchoring at the lowest elevations. Use caution near creeks which are still open in some areas.

Heavy rain transitioned to snow around Dec 9th leaving a new rain crust up to at least 6000 feet in the north Cascades and near or above 7000 feet in the central and south. All recent observations indicate the rain event has eliminated any persistent weak layers formed in late November. 

An active and cool weather pattern over the last week has produced about 2 to 3 plus feet of new snowfall that now sits over the 12/9 crust. Snow depths below treeline are increasing nicely, but many barely hidden hazards like rocks, streams or snags remain. The skiing in non-wind affected areas with enough snow cover has been good! 

Extensive surface hoar was evident Wednesday afternoon in the Stevens Pass area, near Rainy Pass. This layer may have been buried intact early Thursday with the onset of Thursday's storm, though no evidence of avalanches on a surface hoar layer has been reported through Friday.  

Further observations by Tom Curtis in the Icicle Creek drainage Thursday, failed to identify the persistent layer of buried surface hoar found prior to the rain event December 8-9. There was significant evidence that the  rain event has destroyed this layer. Coupled with other recent observations along the east slope areas, we are removing the PWl from the mentioned avalanche problems. 

Recent guide reports from the Washington Pass zone indicate strong northerly winds redistributing recent snow on lee southerly aspects above treeline. The most recent storm snow was reported to be well bonded to the underlying crust, with good ski conditions found in non-wind affected terrain.  

The southeast zone should have a much shallower snowpack, more affected by recent rain and warm temperatures. However, we have no recent observations from the southeast zone.