900 AM PST FRI FEB 22 2008 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS- WASHINGTON CASCADES- MT HOOD AREA- Generally LOW avalanche danger below 7000 feet Friday and Saturday. Slightly increasing danger Saturday afternoon on steep slopes receiving sunshine. OUTLOOK SUNDAY Continued generally low avalanche danger below 7000 feet in the Olympics and Washington Cascades. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS Gradually cooler temperatures and a mix of sun and clouds has maintained very strong surface or near surface crusts on most slopes. Some areas received a trace to 1 inch of new snow last night or early Friday morning. Recent very warm temperatures and high freezing levels last weekend helped to consolidate the snow pack significantly as well as create strong melt-freeze surface crusts. The recent warm weather caused widespread natural wet loose and some wet slab releases through Monday. Cooling Tuesday through Thursday helped limit any surface melt and therefore no recent avalanches have been reported over the past several days. On some slopes receiving sunshine there has been some nice spring-ski conditions reported over the past few days. However, other slopes have not softened and hard conditions were observed. These strong upper snow layers or crusts are limiting the potential for avalanche releases. Normal caution is advised in the backcountry. Some other cautionary notes may be helpful. Uncontrolled falls may pose a hazard on any steep slopes where a smooth and hard surface crust exists. Also, there remain many very large cornices near ridges. We would advise to remain well back of cornices as many may have weakened during the recent warm weather. DETAILED FORECASTS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT Partly cloudy with a chance of a little light rain or snow at times, mainly in the north and overnight Friday. No significant new snow is expected with cool temperatures and light to moderate crest level winds. This should maintain firm and stable near surface snow and maintain a generally low avalanche danger. SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT Gradual clearing later Saturday morning becoming partly to mostly sunny during the afternoon. Mostly fair Saturday night. Light winds and remaining generally cool Saturday and Saturday night. This weather should maintain mostly stable and firm snow and a low danger. Some limited shallow melt of surface snow during the afternoons on steep southerly facing slopes may cause a slight increase in danger from wet snow avalanches; however this should only be isolated in nature. OUTLOOK SUNDAY Becoming mostly cloudy with a chance of a few light rain or snow showers with light winds and only slight warming is expected Sunday. This should maintain mostly stable snow and a low danger. &&