Olympics

Increasing cloud cover and gradually cooling temperatures are expected to create benign avalanche conditions. Rainfall or sticky, wet snow surfaces should be your cue that your likelihood of triggering a small wet avalanche is increasing. Don't linger underneath brown frowns where a glide avalanche could release.

Multiple days of above-freezing weather have likely introduced crusts to steeper southerly aspects. Throughout the region, shaded aspects have generally maintained dry snow, despite the thermometer reading. 

Thickening cloudcover is likely to limit wet loose activity for much of the day. If precipitation arrives before the end of the day and it falls as rain, it would destabilize snow surfaces. In this case simply reduce your exposure to slopes steeper than 35 degrees.

Glide cracks have opened in some parts of the Cascades. The structure may be different at Hurricane Ridge because the early December rains completely eliminated the snowpack, locally. However, if you do see a brown frown, don't linger underneath it.

As of last Sunday, 8-10 inches of snow sat over the 12/24 crust and may have consolidated somewhat since.

The snow last week drastically improved coverage and travel conditions. Even still, open creeks, random holes, and grabby bushes should remain on your mind.