200 PM PST WED FEB 6 2008 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST- ...AVALANCHE WARNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY... HIGH avalanche danger above 3-4000 feet and CONSIDERABLE below Wednesday. Increasing HIGH avalanche danger below 7000 feet Wednesday night continuing Thursday. * WASHINGTON CASCADES EAST OF THE CREST- HIGH avalanche danger above 5000 feet and CONSIDERABLE below Wednesday. Increasing HIGH avalanche danger above 4-5000 feet and CONSIDERABLE below Wednesday night continuing Thursday. * MT HOOD AREA- ...AVALANCHE WARNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY... HIGH avalanche danger above 4-5000 feet and CONSIDERABLE below Wednesday. Increasing HIGH avalanche danger below 7000 feet Wednesday night continuing Thursday. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS Strong storm cycles and very heavy snowfall with a slight warming trend was seen last 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 natural and triggered avalanches last week through Saturday. A bit of a break was seen on Sunday and Monday. This caused some consolidation and partial stabilizing. Some skier triggered avalanches were reported Sunday. No avalanches seem to have been reported Monday. Deep powder was also reported on slopes with trees or lower angle slopes. A strong front crossed the Northwest Tuesday midday and afternoon. This was accompanied by very strong southwest crest level winds and heavy snowfall with a slight warming trend. About 12-20 inches of 24 hour new snow is reported at Hurricane and near and west of the crest Wednesday morning. This weather built new slightly denser surface wind and soft slab layers and caused a natural avalanche cycle and rapid stabilizing in many areas Tuesday afternoon. Natural avalanches were reported by the DOT at Snoqualmie and on the Turns All Year web site near Longmire. Decreasing winds, cooling and decreasing snow showers should have slightly reduced the avalanche danger in most areas Wednesday morning. Lingering wind or soft slab layers should be most likely on steep lee north to east facing slopes as of Wednesday morning. But lingering instability should be possible on other steep aspects. WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT West winds and snow showers should decrease on Wednesday morning. This should cause temporary and slight stabilizing. But storm cycle wind and soft slab layers should remain likely on lee slopes. This should continue to be mainly north to east slopes but will be likely on other aspects. We do not recommend back country travel at higher elevations near avalanche terrain Wednesday. Very strong west flow should rapidly carry a very strong front across the Northwest Wednesday night. This system looks like another major snow producer in the Olympics and Cascades Wednesday night with another slight warming trend. The front should cross the Olympics around Wednesday midnight and the Cascades Thursday early morning. This pattern should cause increasing heavy snow Wednesday afternoon and night. This is likely to cause another avalanche cycle by Wednesday night. We do not recommend back country travel near avalanche terrain Wednesday afternoon and night. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT Strong west crest level winds and moderate to heavy orographic snow showers are expected Thursday at lower snow levels. This should continue to add to deep new snowfall from Wednesday night. This should maintain storm cycle wind and soft slab layers on many lee slopes. This is most likely to be steeper north to east slopes at higher elevations but may be seen on other aspects as well. Natural or triggered avalanche should be likely on Thursday. We do not recommend back country travel near avalanche terrain on Thursday. Deep powder snow and difficult back country travel is likely on many lower angle slopes. Thursday should be good day to stay out of the back country and head to the ski areas. &&