Olympics

The potential for large and surprising avalanches will persist during the work week.  Read the midweek discussion below and check the forecast in the Cascade zones where similar conditions are present.  The next avalanche forecast will be issued on Thursday, February 6th  at 6:00 PM.  

Special midweek message due to dangerous avalanche conditions that are expected to persist through the week: 

Avalanches can break more widely than you expect with a large variation in how easy it is to trigger avalanches across the terrain.  Higher elevation slopes where the winds have drifted new snow will be capable of producing larger and more consequential avalanches. Handpits, and small test slope results should not be used to deem nearby slopes safe due to the variability in the old snow surface heading into this storm cycle.  You need to constantly re-assess the snow stability as you change aspects at middle and upper elevations.  Assume steep open wind-loaded slopes are suspect until proven otherwise. 

Forecast Discussion2024-2025 Forecast Schedule

NWAC will issue an avalanche forecast every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and every holiday mid-week day the Hurricane Ridge Road is open from December until the end of March.  We will issue Avalanche Watches or Warnings when conditions warrant.  We will not update the non-holiday midweek discussion.  Our mountain weather forecasts will continue to cover the Olympics and are issued twice a day through the end of April.  If you have questions or feedback, please contact us at [email protected] and [email protected]. 

Your observations help us build the next forecast.  Share what you see with us and your local backcountry community.