Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Keep an eye on how the snow surface is changing throughout the day due to the sun’s influence. If you find that it is getting warm and sticky or see fresh rollerballs and pinwheels, Wet Loose avalanches may follow. Areas with a drier snow surface could contain pockets of wind-blown snow for you to steer around at upper elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    The amount of sunshine making it through the clouds should once again drive the Wet Loose avalanche hazard on Saturday. The more sun in the area you are traveling, the higher the potential for these avalanches to occur. A warm and sticky snow surface combined with rollerballs, pinwheels, or snow shedding from trees and rocks will be your first indication that these avalanches are possible. Wet Loose avalanches often start at a point and can entrain snow, fan-out, or even trigger slabs as they descend downhill. You can minimize your exposure to these avalanches by heading toward lower angled or shaded slopes and ensuring that the slopes above you are not in the sunshine.

    (2/28/2021) Fresh rollerballs may be your first indication that the snow is destabilizing and Wet Loose avalanches are possible.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Keep an eye out for potential Wind Slabs as you ascend in elevation on Saturday. You should use test slopes, uptrack tests, or visual clues such as freshly built cornices or textured snow surfaces to help you determine the existence and reactivity of potential Wind Slabs. Convex rollovers, terrain features over 35 degrees, or rocky terrain including confined gullies or the base of cliffs are the more likely locations for you to trigger one of these slabs. If you find a poor bond during your testing or notice cracking in the recent snow as you travel, look to avoid these features.

    Some areas of the zone may have freshly built cornices which may be sensitive. Be sure to give cornices a wide berth by not traveling on or below them.

    (3/12/2021) Wind Slabs will be more likely near ridgelines or rocky terrain such as cliffs and confined gullies. This Wind Slabs was triggered by a snowboarder a few weeks ago in terrain that meets this description. [N 600' SS-ASu-D2+]

Avalanche Discussion

Freezing levels are forecasted to jump up to 7000 feet in the zone on Saturday, resulting in the warmest day of the week. The high freezing levels and sunny weather will open the door for more Wet Loose activity or other springtime avalanche hazards such as cornice failure. This week’s storms left Hurricane Ridge with around 7-8” of snow above the 3/18 interface at middle to upper elevations, and considerably less below treeline. A second interface (3/24) was formed with the most recent round of snow on Wednesday, and both the 3/18 and 3/24 are easily identified on slopes that see direct sunshine. On slopes with a more northerly tilt, you should be able to still find them, but they could be a bit more subtle. Although snow depths will vary around the Olympic Mountains, these interfaces should remain constant and we believe that all avalanche activity should occur above the 3/18 interface, with most focused above the 3/24. 

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