Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Keep your eyes peeled for clues that the wind loaded snow onto nearby slopes. Small drifts or sharp cornices can point towards potential new slabs. Steer around these suspected features and seek out less wind-affected terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Moderate westerly winds Saturday night into Sunday morning may build fresh shallow slabs on the lee sides of ridges and features. In the morning, blowing snow may serve as your simplest way to identify which areas could hold new wind slabs. As winds decrease over the day, you’ll need to look a little harder to figure out where new slabs may hide. Watch for fresh cornices and drifts to point toward potentially wind-loaded terrain. Steer around steeps slopes and features where you suspect the wind formed fresh slabs and seek out less wind-affected terrain. As you ascend in elevation, you may encounter deeper deposits that could produce larger avalanches

    (2/20/2021) Example: This human triggered wind slab avalanche occurred Saturday in the Crystal backcountry. S, 6000' Pickhandle Pt. Photo: Jen Daniels.

Avalanche Discussion

Hurricane Ridge and the Olympics shouldn’t receive much snow Saturday night into Sunday. Instead, the wind will continue to play the greatest role in shaping the snowpack and avalanche danger. NPS Rangers on 2/27 reported a thin breakable surface crust on most slopes. The sunny skies likely only made this layer thicker on southerly aspects. This crust should help limit the avalanche hazard at lower elevations. With a dusting of new snow over this surface, travel conditions could become tricky on some slopes. 

While we anticipate any avalanche activity remaining in the recent storm snow, you can still find several layers within the upper snowpack. Two layers are worth mentioning. 

  1. The recent atmospheric rive crust sits 18-20” below the snow surface. While no avalanches have been reported on this layer, it can serve as an excellent marker to interpret recent storms. 
  2. The mid-January facet/crust layer can still be found in many snow profiles 4 feet or more below the snow surface. Keep this layer on your mind if you travel to more remote sections of the zone where we have less information and a higher degree of uncertainty. Recent very large avalanches in other zones can serve as a reminder of how complex and unpredictable deep persistent weak layers can act. 

2020-21 Forecast Schedule: Avalanche danger ratings will be issued for the Olympics every Friday through Sunday and during mid-week holidays. During the week when the Hurricane Ridge road is closed, forecast information will be updated daily to include expected conditions and relevant travel advice under the No Rating label.

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, continue to follow the latest guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. Avoid unnecessary risks that could impact first responders and stress medical resources.  Wear a mask when appropriate, practice social distancing, and consider recreating closer to home.

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