AVALANCHE WARNING
Issue Date: 110 PM PST TUE DEC 15 2009
Expiration: 1200 PM PST THU DEC 17 2009

...AVALANCHE WARNING TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...
ONE TO TWO FEET OF DENSE WIND AND WARMING AFFECTED SNOW HAS BEEN
DEPOSITED OVER COLD WEAK SNOW ALL OVER AN UNDERLYING ICE CRUST. THE
CURRENT SNOWPACK STRUCTURE IS MAKING FOR DANGEROUS AVALANCHE
CONDITIONS AN A HIGH AVALANCHE DANGER. ADDITIONAL HEAVY SNOW OR RAIN
EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT SHOULD CAUSE A FURTHER INCREASE IN
THE ALREADY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
NATURAL OR TRIGGERED AVALANCHES REMAIN LIKELY AND SHOULD PERSIST
TUESDAY NIGHT. BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT
RECOMMENDED.
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. PLEASE VISIT
WWW.NWAC.US FOR DETAILS.
$$
BACKCOUNTRY TRAVELERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT ELEVATION AND
GEOGRAPHIC DISTINCTIONS ARE APPROXIMATE AND THAT A TRANSITION
ZONE BETWEEN DANGERS EXISTS.  REMEMBER THERE ARE AVALANCHE SAFE
AREAS IN THE MOUNTAINS DURING ALL LEVELS OF AVALANCHE DANGER.
CONTACT LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN YOUR AREA OF INTEREST FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION.
NWAC WEATHER DATA AND FORECASTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BY CALLING
206-526-6677 FOR WASHINGTON, 503-808-2400 FOR THE MT HOOD AREA,
OR BY VISITING OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.NWAC.US.
KRAMER/NORTHWEST WEATHER AND AVALANCHE CENTER
$$

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
Issue Date: 418 AM PST TUE DEC 15 2009
Expiration: 600 AM PST WED DEC 16 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH AND
CENTRAL CASCADES UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL
CASCADES FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM PST WEDNESDAY...
A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL
CASCADES OF WESTERN WASHINGTON UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
* TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 1 FOOT AND LOCALLY HIGHER ARE
EXPECTED TODAY. HEAVIEST AMOUNTS WILL OCCUR ALONG THE SOUTHWEST
FACING SLOPES.
* THE SNOW LEVEL WILL START OUT AT 3000 FEET THIS MORNING...THEN
RISE TO 4000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...COLD AIR TRAPPED IN
THE PASSES WILL ALLOW PRECIPITATION TO FALL AS SNOW THROUGH THE
DAY.
* GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THOSE AREAS EXPOSED TO SOUTHWEST WINDS.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL CASCADES OF WESTERN
WASHINGTON...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM
PST WEDNESDAY.
* ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED
THIS EVENING. A TRANSITION TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS
EXPECTED OVERNIGHT WITH POSSIBLE ICE ACCUMULATION.
* THE SNOW LEVEL WILL REMAIN NEAR 4500 FEET...EXCEPT AT THE
SURFACE IN THE PASSES WHERE COLD AIR REMAINS TRAPPED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL
IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW WILL MAKE
TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST...KEEP
FLASHLIGHTS...FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE
OF AN EMERGENCY.
$$
MERCER
WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE