####018003124#### WWUS86 KPQR 142035 SABOR Summary Avalanche Forecast for Mt Hood area Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1334 PM PDT Wed Mar 14 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 WARNING WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY... Wednesday: Increasing high danger above 5000 feet and considerable below Wednesday. Further increasing danger late Wednesday through Wednesday night. Thursday: Further significantly increasing danger early Thursday becoming extreme above 6000 feet and high below. Large to very large and potentially destructive avalanches in many areas. Avoid all avalanche terrain above 6000 feet. Decreasing danger Thursday night. 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. A return to winter began in most areas late Friday and Saturday and has persisted through Wednesday with nearly non stop storms. Storm totals of 2 to 4 feet of snow have been received in the past 4 days! Unstable storm or wind slab layers exist with dangerous avalanche conditions! Wednesday Yet another strong front is moving across the area Wednesday. This system is causing increasing heavy snowfall at gradually warming temperatures along with very strong crest level winds. Snowfall should increase in intensities 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. Storm and wind slabs: Rapid loading by warmer denser snow and wind slabs over weak lower density snow in the upper snowpack will cause increasing natural avalanches by later Wednesday. Thursday The next front should move rapidly across the area Thursday morning maintaining heavy precipitation at further warming...along with another round of very strong winds. Cooling is expected behind the front beginning midday Thursday through Thursday night with gradually decreasing but still moderate showers. The warming and heavy loading early Thursday, should cause a significant increase in the danger Thursday morning. Some very large and potentially destructive avalanches are possible 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/ ####018003728#### WWUS86 KSEW 142034 SABWA Summary Avalanche Forecast for Olympics and Washington Cascades Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington 1334 PM PDT Wed Mar 14 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 WARNING WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY... Wednesday: Increasing high danger below 7000 feet Wednesday. Further increasing danger late Wednesday through Wednesday night. Thursday: Further significantly increasing danger early Thursday becoming extreme above 5000 feet and high below. Large to very large and potentially destructive avalanches in many areas. Avoid all avalanche terrain above 5000 feet. Decreasing danger Thursday night. Washington Cascades east of the crest- ...AVALANCHE WARNING THURSDAY... Wednesday: Increasing high danger above 5000 feet and considerable below increasing through the afternoon. Further increasing danger Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Thursday: Further significantly increasing danger early Thursday becoming high below 7000 feet. Large natural avalanches in many areas are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended Thursday. Decreasing slowly danger Thursday night. 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. A return to winter began in most areas late Friday and Saturday and has persisted through Wednesday with nearly non stop storms. Storm totals of 3 to 7 feet of snow have been received in the past 4 days! Unstable storm or wind slab layers exist with dangerous avalanche conditions! Wednesday Yet another strong front is moving across the area Wednesday. This system is causing increasing heavy snowfall at gradually warming temperatures along with very strong crest level winds. Snowfall should increase in intensities 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. Rapid loading by warmer denser snow and wind slabs over weak lower density snow in the upper snowpack will cause increasing natural avalanches by later Wednesday. Thursday The next front should move rapidly across the area Thursday morning maintaining heavy precipitation at further warming...along with another round of very strong winds. Cooling is expected behind the front beginning midday Thursday through Thursday night with gradually decreasing but still moderate showers. The warming and heavy loading early Thursday, as well as a wind shift in the passes producing a sudden warm up, should cause a significant increase in the danger Thursday morning in all areas. Some very large and potentially destructive avalanches are possible 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/