130 PM PST SAT JAN 12 2008 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST- High avalanche danger above 4-5000 feet Saturday and considerable below. Considerable avalanche danger Sunday above 4-5000 feet and moderate below. * WASHINGTON CASCADES EAST OF THE CREST- High avalanche danger above 5-6000 feet Saturday and considerable below. Considerable avalanche danger Sunday above 5000 feet and moderate below. * MT HOOD AREA- High avalanche danger above 5-6000 feet Saturday and considerable below. Considerable avalanche danger Sunday above 5000 feet and moderate below. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS Periods of strong winds and heavy snow with a gradual warming trend has been seen the past few days in the Olympics and Cascades. There has been about 4-6 feet of snowfall near and west of the crest the past few days. This is fully expected to have built denser heavier slab layers especially on lee slopes at higher elevations. Reports of back country snow conditions have been sparse the past few days likely due to the heavy snow and avalanche conditions. However on Friday the Hurricane Ridge road crew reported two 3-4 foot natural slab avalanches on Friday one of which crossed the road. The Baker and Alpental ski patrols reported widespread fracture propagation and slabs to 2 feet deep. The Crystal Mountain ski patrol reported sensitive fractures propagating up to 200 feet and slabs to about 1 foot. A report on Turns All Year from Stevens Pass indicated sensitive layers up to about 3 feet. There has also has been several inches of snowpack settlement the past 24 hours at sites near and west of the crest. This may mean a lower avalanche danger than seen on Friday. However I have continued the high level of danger forecast due to the recent conditions and some uncertainty. Remember that an avalanche forecast is a general forecast of expected conditions and that you must make your own slope by slope evaluation in the back country. SATURDAY A moderate front will cross the Olympics and Cascades on Saturday. Increasing winds and snow should be seen at most locations Saturday morning. This should build new local relatively dense surface slab layers and maintain loads on existing layers. The greatest instability should be on lee slopes. This should be mainly steep north to east slopes at higher elevations but remember to make you own evaluation of any slope. Natural or triggered slab avalanches are still considered likely on Saturday. I would recommend that back country travelers should avoid avalanche terrain on Saturday. Less experienced back country travelers might do best to stay in controlled areas Saturday such as ski areas. Partial clearing should be seen Saturday night. This should allow the snow pack to partly stabilize. SUNDAY Sunny warmer weather is expected on Sunday. Avalanche danger should decrease due to the partly stabilizing snowpack. The local winter-like potential unstable snow structure and slab layers are most likely to linger on steep lee slopes. This should continue to be mainly steep north to east slopes at higher elevations. It is also possible that the sunny warmer weather will cause damp or wet surface layers on slopes facing the sun. So watch for signs of wet snow instability on slopes facing the sun. Since Sunday should be the nicest day in awhile dont leave your avalanche awareness at home and pay attention to expected varied snow conditions. I would recommend continued caution near avalanche terrain on Sunday. Fair weather on Sunday night should allow for further partial stabilizing. &&