100 PM PDT FRI MAY 16 2008 ...AVALANCHE WARNING CONTINUING FRIDAY AND SATURDAY... A cool snowy winter and early spring in the Olympics and Cascades has caused a deep snowpack and record snow depths in some areas. The cool weather continued this spring. This caused the snowpack to remain generally stable with few avalanches reported. Rainy weather this past Tuesday and Wednesday added 1 to over 2 inches of rain to the snowpack at some sites causing increasing wet and unstable snow. A major change in the weather pattern is underway over the Northwest. A strong ridge of high pressure and warm air mass is moving over the area. This is causing sunny hot weather that began Thursday and should continue through the weekend. Freezing levels have risen to near or over 15,000 feet over much of the Northwest as of Friday and stay high through the weekend. This hot weather is expected to cause a widespread spring avalanche cycle in the Olympics and Cascades. The relatively prolonged hot weather should melt and weaken surface snow and allow melt water to possibly percolate to deeper older weak layers. This is most likely on slopes facing the sun but should also be likely on any steep aspects. Deep avalanches are possible. Some avalanches may release to or near the ground, involving the entire winters snowpack. Large wet snow avalanches may travel very fast and run long distances, possibly to lower elevations where little or no snow cover may remain or to valley floors. We do not recommend back country travel near any avalanche terrain Friday and Saturday and possibly Sunday. Initially small wet loose avalanches may trigger large and deeper wet loose or wet slab avalanches. Back country travelers should also avoid slopes below cornices or gullies and flat areas below avalanche run out zones. A lack of refreezing at night may contribute to the avalanche cycle. Remember that boot or ski penetration of more than a few inches can indicate snow is becoming significantly unstable on steep slopes. This statement will be updated as conditions warrant.