130 PM PST TUE FEB 26 2008 && ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS * OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST- Tuesday: LOW avalanche danger below 7000 feet. Wednesday: Increasing moderate avalanche danger above 4-5000 feet mainly north part to central part and low below. * WASHINGTON CASCADES EAST OF THE CREST- Tuesday: LOW avalanche danger below 7000 feet. Wednesday: Increasing moderate avalanche danger above 5-6000 feet mainly north part and low below. * MT HOOD AREA- Tuesday: MODERATE avalanche danger below 7000 feet. Wednesday: LOW avalanche danger below 7000 feet. SNOWPACK ANALYSIS Little or no precipitation was seen last week during an extended period of fair weather. This was accompanied by mild daytime temperatures and cooler overnight temperatures. This caused thick surface crust formation and snowpack consolidation and stabilizing in most areas. Other crust layers in the upper snowpack should be helping stabilize the upper snowpack. No avalanches were reported by the end of the period of fair weather. Some spring corn snow conditions have also been reported on sunny slopes. West winds and a few inches of new snow were seen Monday morning in the south Cascades and mainly at Mt Hood. This new snow may have formed isolated wind or soft slab layers on lee slopes in that area. This should be mainly steeper north to east aspects at higher elevations. DETAILED FORECASTS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT Fair weather is expected on Tuesday with mild temperatures. Increasing clouds should be seen mainly in the Olympics and north Cascades Tuesday night. This should cause little change in snow conditions. Shallow wet weak surface snow should be possible on steeper slopes facing the sun. This would be mainly in the south Cascades and Mt Hood where some snow fell on Monday. Back country travelers should use caution near steeper terrain mainly in that area on Tuesday. Surface crusts and spring like conditions seem likely in areas that have not received recent snow such as the north Cascades or east of the crest. WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT Moderately increasing flow aloft should carry a weak front mainly over the Olympics and north Cascades on Wednesday. This should bring moderately increasing crest level winds, some rain or snow depending on elevation, mainly to the Olympics and north to central Cascades, with a slight drop in snow levels. This may build some local new shallow storm cycle wind or soft slab layers on lee slopes Wednesday. This should be mainly steeper north to east aspects at higher elevations in the Olympics and north to central Cascades. Back country travelers should use caution near avalanche terrain in that area. Little change in mostly stable snow conditions should be seen in the south Cascades and Mt Hood area. Decreasing light snow showers should be seen heaviest in the Olympics and north Cascades Wednesday night. &&