Olympics

Incoming snow and wind should arrive before sundown, but likely not enough to increase the avalanche hazard during the day.  Pay attention to changing conditions and if you observe significant blowing and drifting snow, use caution around steep lee slopes at mid and upper elevations.  Continue to travel cautiously in areas with low snow cover. 

For Monday, incoming snow looks like it be light enough and arrive late enough that even with increasing winds, it will be unlikely to build new wind slabs before the end of the day in the Hurricane Ridge area.  If the forecast timing is off and several inches of snow fall, with winds drifting the new low-density snow, you'll have to start thinking about shallow, fresh wind slabs on lee aspects at mid and upper elevations.  Any wind slabs that do form may be easier to trigger than you'd expect, building over buried surface hoar.  Changing conditions should be easy to identify, and look for red flags like shooting cracks on slopes with wind-affected snow.  Use caution around gullies, chutes or above cliffs where a small avalanche could cause real problems. 

The Hurricane Ridge area received about 5" of snow Thursday night through Friday, giving the area a wintry refresh.  Winds were light in the Hurricane Ridge area with the snowfall, backcountry travelers found shallow (4") but sensitive wind-affected snow easily cracking on Mt Townsend Saturday, 2/14.  A beautiful sunny day on Sunday made quick work of the recent snow, with many sunny aspects melting back the recent snow.  Clear, calm weather on Saturday night allowed widespread surface hoar to form (3-4mm noted by NPS rangers) and survive in shadier terrain.   The recent snow sits above the 2/12 crust.   This snowpack structure, plus new snow over the next several days or longer, could lead us to a snowpack where it's easy to trigger avalanches by late next week or the weekend.  

While we're well below normal snowpack-wise for the season, if there's enough snow to ride a slope, there's enough snow to support avalanche activity.  In areas with low snow cover, give yourself extra time to navigate the numerous obstacles and challenging conditions.