Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

The likelihood of natural wet loose avalanches will decrease on Sunday as sunny skies are swapped out for clouds.  You'll still need to use caution on any aspect and elevation where you find punchy, wet snow.  Stay off of very steep or extreme terrain features where a small avalanche could cause injury. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    We have the same avalanche problem for Sunday that we've had for the last few days - wet loose - but in a slightly different flavor to close out the weekend.  With mild temperatures and cloud cover expected overnight and Sunday,  the potential for wet loose avalanches will creep around the compass and may include more northerly aspects.

    You'll likely see plenty of evidence of roller balls or wet loose avalanche activity on steep slopes from the last few days, you're unlikely to encounter new natural wet loose avalanches as a warning sign of increasing instability.  Right off the bat in the morning, you'll want to avoid extreme terrain features and terrain traps anywhere you find wet punchy snow.  Where those 2 pieces overlap, even a small slide can do real damage.  

    While cornices aren't particularly large in the Hurricane Ridge area, they'll become weaker and more likely to fail during this weather pattern.  Make sure to give them a wide berth while traveling along ridgelines and limit your time below slopes with larger overhanging cornices.  In isolated areas, they could trigger a slab avalanche on the slopes below. 

     

    (3/17/2023)

    Small wet loose slides started to release below rocky outcrops on sunny slopes in Klahhane Bowl Friday.

Avalanche Discussion

Sunshine and warm temperature led to rollerballs, pinwheels, and small natural wet loose avalanches on Friday, and presumably again on Saturday.  An observation from Klahhane Bowl on Friday noted a small natural wet loose avalanche that ran a good distance on a S aspect as well as skier-triggered small dry loose sluffs on steep northerlies.  On Thursday, Professional observer Sam Luthy found good stability and riding conditions on northerly/shaded aspects with settled cold snow.  Wind-affected snow was largely limited to exposed ridgelines and older wind-drifted snow was unreactive.  Cornices in the Hurricane Ridge area were trimmed back and not particularly large.  

Reported avalanches have been small during this mild stretch, we're not out of the woods yet with a poor refreeze expected Saturday night.  Over in the Cascades, we've had large to very large avalanches release in higher alpine terrain in isolated areas, different aspects, and in very different parts of the range.  Region-wide, our snowpack is starting to transition from a layered cold snowpack and step into spring and there are some steps you can take to minimize your risk of getting caught in an isolated but larger avalanche.

 During this mild extended period:

  • Plan to limit your exposure to more complex, higher-elevation terrain where we know less about the snowpack. 
  •  Keep an eye out for subtle changes like growing glide cracks over the weekend. 
  •  As you move through different terrain and aspects, look up and be aware of your overhead exposure to steep slopes with large overhanging cornices.  

2022-2023 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-early April.  We will issue Avalanche Watches or Warnings when conditions warrant. New for this season, 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]. 

If you're out in the snow, share your observations with us and your local backcountry community.

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