0800 AM PDT THU DEC 06 2007 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES, MT HOOD AREA- Moderate avalanche danger above 5000 feet and low below early Thursday with a slight increase in the danger on Thursday, mainly in the south. Danger slowly decreasing late Thursday. Moderate avalanche danger above about 5000 feet and low below slightly decreasing Friday. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS In most areas, generally small amounts of new snow have accumulated over a gradually refreezing and stabilizing old wet and still relatively shallow snowpack, especially below 4 to 5000 feet. Along with some wind transport this is producing a moderate danger and some pockets of shallow wind slab above about 5000 feet, mainly on southeast through northeast exposures. While an earlier avalanche potential existed for some isolated wet slabs releasing within the rain soaked old snowpack, as the liquid water has slowly drained from the snow and the snowpack has settled and begun to refreeze, this potential has diminished. At lower elevations, smaller amounts of new snow and a better bond of this new snow to the developing crust have combined with lighter winds and significant vegetation or terrain anchoring to produce a generally low danger and mostly stable snowpack. At these lower elevations, the snowpack structure consists of a trace to an inch or two of new snow overlying a developing crust and slowly refreezing and strengthening old, wet and generally shallow snowpack. Also, in the northern Washington Cascades and Olympics where more significant clearing occurred overnight, some surface hoar has developed over either the old crust or small amounts of new snow. DETAILED FORECASTS THURSDAY, THURSDAY NIGHT Partly to mostly sunny skies are likely in the north on Thursday. However from about Snoqualmie Pass southward, mostly cloudy skies and occasional light snow are expected Thursday morning before showers slowly diminish Thursday afternoon and evening. Along with lowering freezing levels and slightly increased winds in the south, this weather should allow for a slight increase in the danger, mainly in the south, as a few more inches of new snow accumulate over the developing near surface crust. With decreasing light showers, decreased winds and partial clearing spreading southward Thursday night and early Friday, this should allow for slowly decreasing danger as shallow wind slabs start to settle. FRIDAY, FRIDAY NIGHT Mostly sunny skies in the north and central Washington Cascades should spread southward early Friday, with partly cloudy skies and scattered light showers in the southern Washington Cascades and Mt Hood area giving way to mostly sunny skies later Friday morning and early afternoon. Along with decreased and generally light winds and low freezing levels, this increasingly fair weather should produce slowly decreasing danger for most of Friday as shallow wind slabs and the old snowpack continue to settle and strengthen. However, some increase in northerly winds near higher ridgetops later Friday, especially in the Olympics, should help maintain some shallow slabs and a moderate danger above about 5 to 6000 feet, mainly on southwest through southeast facing slopes. Although some clouds and a few showers are possible Friday night in the northern Oregon Cascades from a weak disturbance moving mostly southward offshore, only minor accumulations should not significantly affect the overall decreasing danger. &&