130 PM PST THU NOV 29 2007 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST- Considerable avalanche danger Thursday above 4-5000 feet and moderate below. Avalanche danger gradually decreasing Friday through Friday night becoming considerable above 5-6000 and moderate below. * MT HOOD AREA- Locally high avalanche danger on east to southeast facing slopes above about 5000 feet otherwise considerable avalanche danger Thursday afternoon and evening above 4-5000 feet and moderate below. Avalanche danger gradually decreasing Friday through Friday night becoming considerable above 5000 and moderate below. * WASHINGTON CASCADES EAST OF THE CREST- Locally considerable avalanche danger Thursday above 5000 feet and generally low below. Avalanche danger decreasing Friday through Friday night becoming moderate above 5000 feet and generally low below. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS A fair and cold period of weather much of last week allowed for significant surface hoar development as well as near surface faceting of the shallow early season snowpack. This was followed by a moderate storm Monday night and Tuesday that deposited generally 6 to 10 inches of snow along the west slopes with up to 16 inches in the Mt Baker area and less along the east slopes. This storm was accompanied by some strong ridge top south to southwesterly winds generally in the 20 to 30 mph range. This deposited unstable wind deposited snow over a shallow but weak existing snowpack. Numerous reports Tuesday from ski patrol as well as WSDOT avalanche crews indicated fairly widespread and sensitive unstable snow. Either settling, shooting cracks or ski triggered soft slabs were seen from Mt Baker, Chinook Pass and Mt Hood Meadows areas. A weak disturbance late Wednesday and early Thursday has deposited generally light amounts of new snow over the existing snowpack. Generally light winds accompanied the recent snowfall with greater recent snowfall being received in the central and southern Washington Cascades and Mt Hood area where a slightly greater danger exists. Significantly stronger winds where experienced overnight Wednesday and early Thursday in the Mt Hood area where more unstable wind slabs were deposited. Recent updates as of Thursday afternoon from ski patrollers controlling the upper closed areas of Mt Hood Meadows ski area report very sensitive ski and explosive releases with widespread propagation and sympathetic slides releasing to shallow angled adjacent slopes. These slides are releasing near or just above the ground on faceted snow produced during the recent fair clod weather and running very long distances. Earlier control results from Mt Hood Meadows Thursday morning emphasized a 3 ft. ski triggered slab released to just above the ground on a wind loaded east to southeast facing slope at about 6000 ft. Some less extreme but similar conditions were also reported on the information exchange at Friends of the Avalanche Center (FOAC) web site and on Turns All Year (TAY). A shallow snowpack and abundant vegetative and terrain anchoring continues to limit the danger at lower elevations and along much of the east slopes. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT Mostly cloudy in the north and central areas with a chance of light snow showers. Light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the south Thursday morning decreasing late Thursday. This should allow for a slowly decreasing danger in most areas, while maintaining existing dangers in the south Cascades. Safe travel techniques or travel away from steeper slopes especially at higher elevations is still recommended Thursday. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT Partly to mostly cloudy and continued cool with light winds. The cool temperatures should help to slow the settlement and stabilization of the snowpack, maintaining unstable slab layers at higher elevations, especially in the south Cascades and Mt Hood area where greater caution is urged. &&