Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Sure the winds may ease and the skies clear, but danger hasn’t gone away. Don’t trust any steep wind-loaded slope no matter where you find it. The biggest and most dangerous slides could occur at upper elevations and in more far-flung parts of the range.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong and very gusty winds typified this recent storm and created slabs in some very strange spots. You could encounter wind-affected snow well below ridgeline, along the sides of mid-slope features, and even down in the trees. These slabs are fresh and may trigger easily. 

    Normal wind features like fresh drifts, scoured slopes, and sharp cornices could hint at local wind patterns. However, given the intense nature of this event loading patterns may be more erratic. Instead, keep it simple. Look for subtle textures and feel for firmer snow that indicates wind-loaded pockets. Give these slopes a wide berth until they have time to heal. Even if the slab is relatively thin, exposed rocks and trees could make it a nasty ride.

    (12/4/2024)

    Example: Subtle wind textures like this may be your best clue to locate wind slabs on Sunday.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday should be a break between winter storms for the Olympics and this last one was a doozy. Hurricane Ridge recorded over an inch of precipitation and counting (~12 inches of snow). Much more likely fell in the western and southern parts of the Range. As the sun comes out, this could result in snow shedding from trees and rocks. It won’t likely create much of an avalanche issue, but you may see some piles of rollerballs. 

Saturday was so stormy it created near-zero visibility conditions at middle elevations. NPS rangers reported intense blowing snow and whiteout weather while trying to assess the road to Hurricane Ridge. They also noted upside-down snow structure from wind broken particles, even in more sheltered terrain. Basically, it’s hard to find non-wind affected snow. 

This new snow fell on a variety of old surfaces including slick crusts, wind-textured snow, and weak settled powder. This could make determining how any particular slope will react nearly impossible. Frequent small slope tests could help, but it might seem like all these wind-loaded pockets are pretty stable, right up until the slope slides. 

At lower elevations, a thin, early-season snowpack continues to limit the avalanche danger. Instead, it brings its own set of hazards. Logs, bushes, rocks, and creeks all make travel much more challenging.

Regions covered