####018005842#### WWUS86 KSEW 082130 SABWA Summary Avalanche Forecast for Olympics and Washington Cascades Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1329 PM PST Thu Mar 08 2012 This forecast applies to back country avalanche terrain below 7000 feet and does not apply to developed ski areas or highways. Avalanche Forecast Olympics- Washington Cascades near and west of the crest, near Mt Baker- Thursday: Considerable avalanche danger below 7000 feet with locally high danger on sun exposed terrain above 5000 feet during the warmest part of the day. Danger decreasing Thursday night. Friday: Increasing high avalanche danger above 5000 feet and on lee slopes above 4000 feet and considerable below. Further increasing danger Friday night. Saturday Outlook: High avalanche danger above 4000 feet and considerable below Further slightly increasing through Saturday night. Washington Cascades near and west of the crest from Stevens Pass southward- Thursday: Considerable avalanche danger below 7000 feet and increasing, especially on steeper sun exposed terrain during the warmest part of the day. Danger decreasing Thursday night. Friday: Moderate avalanche danger below 7000 feet slowly decreasing through Friday night. Saturday Outlook: Considerable avalanche danger above 6000 feet on lee slopes and moderate elsewhere and gradually increasing. Further slightly increasing danger Saturday night. Washington Cascades east of the crest- Thursday: Considerable avalanche danger above 5000 feet and moderate below with locally considerable danger on sun exposed terrain during the warmest part of the day. Danger decreasing Thursday night. Friday: Moderate avalanche danger below 7000 feet slowly decreasing through Friday night. Saturday Outlook: Considerable avalanche danger above 6000 feet on lee slopes and moderate elsewhere and gradually increasing. Further slightly increasing danger Saturday night. Snowpack Synopsis Recent Weather, Snow Pack and Activity: Warm weather was seen last weekend with some heavy wet snow in the Mt Baker area. This caused an avalanche cycle and consolidation especially Friday night and Saturday involving snow from the previous week. Fortunately there were no avalanche incidents reported over the weekend. A new melt-freeze or surface rain crust formed in most areas following the warmer weather. A front crossed the Northwest Monday followed by an upper trough Monday night. Southwest winds changed to northwest winds with cooling. Sites near and west of the crest received about 7-14 inches of snow. The winds and rapid loading built local new soft and wind slab layers on many lee slopes. Numerous triggered soft slab avalanches were reported Tuesday, mostly releasing on or just above the underlying crust from the weekend. A dry and sunny day Wednesday allowed for snowpack settlement as well as some shallow point releases as surface snow became damp to wet. Thursday Mostly sunny weather with some high clouds and very mild with temperatures in many areas into the mid 40's and even low 50's by afternoon. Concern #1: Wet snow avalanche conditions on steep slopes facing the sun. Watch for natural or triggered snow balling, usually a warning of wet snow avalanche conditions. Natural or triggered wet snow avalanches should be most likely on steep slopes facing the sun Thursday afternoon. Wet snow conditions could also develop on other aspects as the March sun becomes more effective. Continue to watch for signs or activity on other aspects. Overnight cooling will lower the danger as wet snow refreezes or partially refreezes depending upon cloud cover. Friday Increasing high clouds and gradual cooling with light to moderate southwest crest level winds. The cooling will help to refreeze and stabilize previous wet surface snow conditions Friday. This should cause a gradually decreasing danger. Concern #1: Possible wet snow conditions. In areas with cloud cover the previous night, there may be lingering shallow wet snow conditions Friday. In these areas, triggered wet snow avalanches remain possible. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully on Friday. Further cooling should again lower this danger Friday night. Note: locally greater danger expected to develop in the Olympics and near Mt Baker area Friday...see detailed forecast. Saturday Outlook Increasing light to occasionally moderate rain or snow with moderate crest level winds and further cooling is expected Saturday as a front crosses the area. Concern #1: New wind slabs on lee slopes at higher elevations. New shallow wind slabs may develop on steeper lee slopes mainly ranging from north through east facing and likely above 6000 feet where wind speeds should be greatest. Previous wet snow should continue to refreeze forming an underlying crust. The gradual cooling should allow for a good bond of new snow to the forming crust, however careful snowpack evaluation should be essential in higher terrain Saturday. NWAC weather data and forecasts are also available by calling 206-526-6677 for Washington, 503-808-2400 for the Mt Hood area, or by visiting our Web site at www.nwac.us. Kramer/Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington References 1. http://www.nwac.us/####018004093#### WWUS86 KPQR 082130 SABOR Summary Avalanche Forecast for Mt Hood area Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1329 PM PST Thu Mar 08 2012 This forecast applies to back country avalanche terrain below 7000 feet and does not apply to developed ski areas or highways. Avalanche Forecast Mt Hood area- Thursday: Considerable avalanche danger above 5000 feet and moderate below with locally considerable danger on sun exposed terrain during the warmest part of the day. Danger decreasing Thursday night. Friday: Moderate avalanche danger below 7000 feet slowly decreasing through Friday night. Saturday Outlook: Considerable avalanche danger above 6000 feet on lee slopes and moderate elsewhere and gradually increasing. Further slightly increasing danger Saturday night. Snowpack Synopsis Freezing rain last Friday night and early Saturday was followed by warm dry weather over the weekend at Mt Hood. This produced a strong surface crust to high elevations at Mt Hood. A cold front crossed the Northwest Monday followed by an upper trough Monday night. Southwest winds changed to northwest winds with cooling. Mt Hood received a total of about 10-14 inches of storm snow as of Tuesday morning. Some local new soft and wind slab layers formed over the strong crust with triggered or explosive slab releases reported Tuesday. A dry and sunny day Wednesday allowed for snowpack settlement as well as some shallow point releases as surface snow became damp to wet. Thursday Mostly sunny weather with some high clouds and very mild with temperatures in many areas into the mid 40's and even low 50's by afternoon. Concern #1: Wet snow avalanche conditions on steep slopes facing the sun. Watch for natural or triggered snow balling, usually a warning of wet snow avalanche conditions. Natural or triggered wet snow avalanches should be most likely on steep slopes facing the sun Thursday afternoon. Wet snow conditions could also develop on other aspects as the March sun becomes more effective. Continue to watch for signs or activity on other aspects. Overnight cooling will lower the danger as wet snow refreezes or partially refreezes depending upon cloud cover. Friday Increasing high clouds and gradual cooling with light to moderate southwest crest level winds. The cooling will help to refreeze and stabilize previous wet surface snow conditions Friday. This should cause a gradually decreasing danger. Concern #1: Possible wet snow conditions. In areas with cloud cover the previous night, there may be lingering shallow wet snow conditions Friday. In these areas, triggered wet snow avalanches remain possible. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully on Friday. Further cooling should again lower this danger Friday night. Saturday Outlook Increasing light to occasionally moderate rain or snow with moderate crest level winds and further cooling is expected Saturday as a front crosses the area. Concern #1: New wind slabs on lee slopes at higher elevations. New shallow wind slabs may develop on steeper lee slopes mainly ranging from north through east facing and likely above 6000 feet where wind speeds should be greatest. Previous wet snow should continue to refreeze forming an underlying crust. The gradual cooling should allow for a good bond of new snow to the forming crust, however careful snowpack evaluation should be essential in higher terrain Saturday. NWAC weather data and forecasts are also available by calling 206-526-6677 for Washington, 503-808-2400 for the Mt Hood area, or by visiting our Web site at www.nwac.us. Kramer/Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington References 1. http://www.nwac.us/