Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You can easily trigger a large storm slab on Saturday with your greatest danger early in the day. The snow has been piling up in the Olympics and needs time to stabilize. Avoid all slopes steeper than 35 degrees, particularly at upper elevations where slabs may be thickened by wind transport.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    Storm slabs 1.5 ft or deeper will be easy to trigger on Saturday. All the new snow since late Thursday needs time to settle and stabilize. Mid-storm interfaces will be more likely to fail than the 3/18 interface. However, check for both using quick pits and frequent ski cuts on small unsupported test slopes. In the lee of ridgelines, drifts may create even deeper and more widely propagating slabs. Avoid all open slopes steeper than 35 degrees until the storm layers have time to heal.

    Example: Test slopes can give you a lot of good information about how new snow has set up after or during a storm. This test slope shows that storm slabs are sensitive and propagating easily.

Avalanche Discussion

Conditions changed drastically Thursday night with 1 ft of reported snowfall at Hurricane Ridge by Friday morning. Strong southerly winds created snowdrifts 8-9 ft deep in the parking lot at Hurricane Ridge. Light to moderate snowfall during the day Friday added to the snow totals. We expect another 5-6" of snowfall Friday night into Saturday with additional wind loading stressing the snowpack at mid and upper elevations. The recent mild weather may have you in a spring mindset, but its time to step back and evaluate the snow, seek treed terrain, and lower angle slopes.

You might find that the 2/18 storm interface sits on a variety of surfaces including crusts on E, S, and W aspects and older potentially faceted snow on N aspects. Take the time to assess the new snow stability when you change aspects and pay attention to cracking, collapsing, and rapid changes in snow density as you travel.

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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