Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 16th, 2015–Mar 17th, 2015

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Olympics.

Winter has returned to the Olympics, but it's nearly spring and the sun's strength can rapidly make for locally dangerous hazards on steeper solar slopes where even a slow moving and shallow avalanche would be powerful and could force you into unintended terrain traps.

Detailed Forecast

Partly to mostly sunny skies and a modest diurnal bump in afternoon temperatures should activate the loose wet avalanche potential on solar slopes near and above treeline Monday.

It's nearly spring and the sun's strength can rapidly make for locally dangerous hazards on steeper solar slopes where even a slow moving and shallow avalanche would be powerful and could force you into unintended terrain traps.

Lighter snow accumulations along with ample terrain anchors should greatly limit the avalanche danger below treeline.

Due to the low snowpack, especially below treeline, watch for terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially covered rocks and vegetation. Many areas below treeline do not have enough snow to cause an avalanche danger.

Snowpack Discussion

The Olympics had very little snow until this weekend when an atmospheric river brought a one-two punch to the Pacific Northwest. Saturday's event brought half an inch of water to Hurricane Ridge with the snow line above 7000 ft.

However, on Sunday a low pressure system brought almost an inch of water and 12 inches of new snow at Hurricane Ridge at low snow levels. Additional snow is expected Sunday night.

Since many areas are starting from scratch, smooth slopes without terrain anchors or slopes with the previous snow cover are the most likely to produce avalanches and most likely found near and above treeline in the Olympics.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the 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. 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.