900 AM PST MON FEB 4 2008
 
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ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS
* OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE 
CREST-
...AVALANCHE WATCH FOR TUESDAY...

CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger below 7000 feet Monday. 
Avalanche danger increasing Tuesday and becoming high 
below 7000 feet.

 
* WASHINGTON CASCADES EAST OF THE CREST-
CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger below 7000 feet Monday. 
Avalanche danger increasing Tuesday and becoming high 
above 4-5000 feet and considerable below.


* MT HOOD AREA-
...AVALANCHE WATCH FOR TUESDAY...

CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger below 7000 feet Monday. 
Avalanche danger increasing Tuesday and becoming high 
below 7000 feet.

* 
SNOWPACK ANALYSIS
Strong storm cycles and very heavy snowfall with a slight 
warming trend was seen over the past week. Extended 
closures were seen at the some of the Cascade passes. 
Sites near and west of the crest picked up 5-10 feet of 
snowfall. A widespread avalanche cycle was seen with many 
large natural and triggered avalanches. Many avalanches 
seem to have been as deep as the mid January crust layers 
and some perhaps deeper.


A bit of a break began mainly in the Olympics and 
Washington Cascades on Sunday. Sites in the Olympics and 
Washington Cascades have had trace or light amounts of 
snow the past 24 hours. Snow showers persisted at Mt Hood 
with 6 inches of new snow the past 24 hours and sunny 
weather on Monday morning. The break seems to have 
allowed for some consolidation and partial stabilizing. 
But some skier triggered avalanches were reported by the 
Stevens and Mt Hood meadows ski patrol on Sunday. Deep 
powder was also reported on slopes with trees or lower 
angle slopes. All the southwest flow recently should make 
lingering wind or soft slabs layers most likely on 
steeper lee north to east facing slopes. But lingering 
instability should be possible on other steep aspects.


MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT
Light winds and light snow should not cause a significant 
change through Monday. This weather should bring partial 
stabilizing and a slight decrease in the avalanche 
danger. Caution is still advised in route selection for 
helping ensure safe travel near avalanche terrain.


TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT
A strong front should cross the Olympics and Cascades on 
Tuesday. This should cause increasing strong west to 
southwest crest level winds and heavy snowfall with 
slight warming trend. This is likely to build new storm 
cycle wind and soft slab layers on many lee slopes and an 
avalanche cycle is expected again later Tuesday. We do 
not recommend back country travel near avalanche terrain 
on Tuesday and Tuesday night.

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