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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Reactive snow may be found on any slope steeper than 35 degrees. Slabs will be larger and more widespread in windloaded terrain, with increasing hazard as you move toward upper elevations. Seek wind-sheltered terain and moderate slope angles.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    This problem is a hybrid wind and storm slab on Sunday. While we think you can trigger an avalanche on any aspect, your more likely to trigger a larger slab in areas where snow is drifting more deeply. This means that you'll need to keep track of multiple factors. (1) How much active blowing snow and recent drifting has occurred in your terrain, and steer around suspect areas. If the snow doesn't feel soft and fluffy, you should use your favorite hand or slope test to evaluate it. New cornice development on Saturday may continue into Sunday and points to the problem areas. (2) The potential for more widespread reactivity exists and you'll want to evaluate the sensitivity to human trigger. This is more likely during mid-day warming temperatures or during and after periods of heavy snowfall. 

    Steer around steep slopes if you encounter reactive snow layers or evidence for significant drifting.  This drifting is likely to be more widespread and dangerous in exposed upper-elevation terrain, although we don't have any direct snowpack information from these elevations.

    (12/20/2025)

    Intentionally triggered D1 storm slab, N aspect, 40 degrees.

    Photo: Sam Siemens-Luthy

Avalanche Discussion

Typical snow depths around Hurricane Ridge are now in the 2 ft range, but you're likely to find snow depths ranging from around 1 to 3 ft depending on your aspect. ONP Rangers reported low-density snow and excellent riding conditions. Temperatures warmed slightly in the afternoon as snow continued to fall, creating up-side-down snow layering. A size 1 intentionally triggered slab on a N aspect highlights the storm slab problem. A very small storm slab was also triggered by a rider exiting Maggies. These slides ran several inches above the 12/18 crust, which was porous and well bonded to the overlying cold snow. 

Warming snow and similar snow depths were found around Mt Elinor on 12/20 as well. But at these lower elevations, the observer experienced above freezing temperatures and rollerballs.

At lower elevations, we're just now getting to the thresholds for avalanche activity with about 12" of snow at this elevation around Hurricane Ridge. Stream and water hazards can be found into middle elevations around Hurricane Ridge.

The weather over the past few weeks has been extraordinary, with torrential rains, extreme winds, flooding, and landslides. Many communities are dealing with damage to homes, infrastructure, and businesses, stretching resources thin. These events have limited access to the mountains for all of us. State and local resources are working diligently to reduce the worst of these impacts. We can help by being respectful of local communities, obeying road closures, and heeding ski area uphill travel policies.

Regions covered