Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

A fresh winter coat of snow is a welcome sign in the Olympics.  You may encounter areas of wind-drifted snow at upper elevations.  Don't let a shallow wind slab avalanche lead to injury with so many rough surfaces around.  Challenging travel due to low snow continues on many aspects and at lower elevations.   

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Friday's storm did not pack much of a punch wind-wise in the Hurricane Ridge area.  If you're headed to other areas of the range that may have experienced more wind loading, isolated pockets of fresh and shallow wind slabs are the most likely avalanche problem you'll encounter. 

    As you ascend in elevation and enter more exposed terrain look for evidence of wind-stiffened and textured snow as well as shooting cracks.  These signs will help you steer around steep open slopes with obvious signs of recent wind-loading.  You can expect to find thicker and more consequential wind slabs closer to ridgelines. Choose your terrain carefully - don't let a small avalanche knock you off your feet and take you for a rough ride in these early season conditions.

    If the sun comes out for an extended period on Saturday, you may see small loose avalanches release naturally from steep rocky terrain features anywhere there's been fresh snow.  

    (2/18/2023)

    Example: Simple signs of winds slabs forming in front of you. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

About 4" of new snow fell in the Hurricane Ridge area through Friday afternoon.  NPS rangers reported the storm came in with light to occasionally moderate winds and minimal drifting was observed while traveling from the parking lot out to Klahhane Ridge. Prior to this fresh coast of white, NPS rangers reported a thin, discontinuous snowpack at Hurricane Ridge on Thursday. Snow depths of around a foot were common in Middle Elevation terrain. Shaded northerly aspects hold slightly deeper and more connected snow, but it’s still thin. 

While the new snow is more than welcome it will take more than one storm to significantly improve the low snow travel hazards. Creeks, rocks, logs, holes, shrubs, and trees all still exist and can make even easy travel routes quite treacherous. Take it slow and give yourself time to deal with the persistent early season conditions.  

We know some of you will be out enjoying the backcountry - please take a few minutes and share what you're seeing through an observation. 

Regions covered