####018003364#### WWUS86 KSEW 131959 SABWA Summary Avalanche Forecast for Olympics and Washington Cascades Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1258 PM PDT Tue Mar 13 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- AVALANCHE WATCH FOR WEDNESDAY Tuesday: High danger above 5000 feet and considerable below slightly increasing through the afternoon. Slowly decreasing danger Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Wednesday: High danger above 5000 feet and considerable below Wednesday morning. Increasing danger becoming high above 4000 feet and considerable by Wednesday afternoon. Further increasing danger Wednesday night. Washington Cascades east of the crest Tuesday: High danger above 6000 feet and considerable below in the morning further slightly increasing by afternoon. Slowly decreasing danger Tuesday night. Wednesday: Increasing high danger above 5000 feet and considerable below increasing through the afternoon. Further increasing danger Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Snowpack Synopsis Dry and very warm weather last week caused significant snowpack consolidation and surface crust formation in most areas. This crust should limit future avalanches to layers above the crust as most more deeply buried weaknesses are sufficiently deep or bridged over by strong layers. The change in the pattern and the return to winter began on Saturday and has persisted through early Tuesday. Storm totals of 2 to 6 feet of snow have been received in the past 3 days! Unstable storm or wind slab layers persist as well as dangerous avalanche conditions! Tuesday An upper trough and a cooler unstable air mass will move across the Northwest Tuesday. Enhanced showers and slightly increasing crest level winds should maintain additional loading and new wind transported slab formations on lee slopes at higher elevations. This will cause a slightly increasing danger through the day Tuesday. A further decrease in winds and light snow showers should cause more stabilizing and a further decrease in the extent of recently formed slab layers Tuesday night. This should lead to a further gradual decrease in the avalanche danger on Tuesday night. Wednesday Another strong front is expected Wednesday with increasing and very strong winds, heavy snow and a slow warming trend. Snowfall should begin early Wednesday and gradually build through the day. Further warming and heavy snow and or rain is expected Wednesday night causing a further increasing and significant avalanche danger increase by early Thursday. n/a n/a 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/ ####018002847#### WWUS86 KPQR 131959 SABOR Summary Avalanche Forecast for Mt Hood area Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1258 PM PDT Tue Mar 13 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 AVALANCHE WATCH FOR WEDNESDAY Tuesday: High danger above 6000 feet and considerable below in the morning further slightly increasing by afternoon. Slowly decreasing danger Tuesday night. Wednesday: Increasing high danger above 5000 feet and considerable below increasing through the afternoon. Further increasing danger Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Snowpack Synopsis Dry and very warm weather last week caused significant snowpack consolidation and surface crust formation in most areas. This crust should limit future avalanches to layers above the crust as most more deeply buried weaknesses are sufficiently deep or bridged over by strong layers. The change in the pattern and the return to winter began on Saturday and has persisted through early Tuesday. Storm totals of 2 to 6 feet of snow have been received in the past 3 days! Unstable storm or wind slab layers persist as well as dangerous avalanche conditions! Tuesday An upper trough and a cooler unstable air mass will move across the Northwest Tuesday. Enhanced showers and slightly increasing crest level winds should maintain additional loading and new wind transported slab formations on lee slopes at higher elevations. This will cause a slightly increasing danger through the day Tuesday. A further decrease in winds and light snow showers should cause more stabilizing and a further decrease in the extent of recently formed slab layers Tuesday night. This should lead to a further gradual decrease in the avalanche danger on Tuesday night. Wednesday Another strong front is expected Wednesday with increasing and very strong winds, heavy snow and a slow warming trend. Snowfall should begin early Wednesday and gradually build through the day. Further warming and heavy snow and or rain is expected Wednesday night causing a further increasing and significant avalanche danger increase by early Thursday. n/a n/a 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/