The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...WINDY. RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES. TEMPERATURES STEADY AROUND 43. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH INCREASING TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH IN THE MORNING...THEN DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT...RAIN. LOWS AROUND 38. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

THURSDAY...RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS AROUND 41. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO
20 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT...RAIN. LOWS AROUND 35. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO
15 MPH.

Temperatures remain quite warm around the region. Eaglecrest is showing 40 at the base. 36 mid mountain and 34 on top. The Mt Roberts Tram is at 36 this morning after topping out at over 40f yesterday.

Winds continue to be strong with the tram and Eaglecrest both showing winds from 15-30mph out of the SE.

We have received quite a bit of rain in the last several days. Eaglecrest received 15mm of precipitation in the last 24 hours which settled the snowpack another 3cm.

Mt Roberts showed 48mm of precipitation in the last 48 hours and 70mm of precipitation in the last 72 hours. With these warm temps and large volumes of rain the snowpack settled quite a bit with a loss of 15cm or about 10% of the overall snowpack.

With these large volumes of rain and warm temps the snowpack has now also developed the ability to process the water. Early on the snowpack continued to gain weight and stress weak layers but now for the most part the rain is draining through the snowpack and coming out the bottom... So no additional load is being felt.

With nearly another inch of rain in the forecast with continued warm temperatures and wind the avalanche danger will remain Moderate to Considerable.

Natural Avalanches remain possible especially on steep open unanchored slopes. The snowpack has lost its glue so to speak and is very liquid. With the continued rain runoff undercutting the snowpack we may see slabs releasing in places. Human triggered avalanches also remain possible on super steep unsupported slopes.

Avalanche danger will fall over the next 24-48 hours as temps fall slightly and precip rates decrease.

There have been 10 Avalanche Fatalities in the Western US in the last 10 days. Sometimes you have to reconsider your practices and be very conservative. Read here to see if you can see any trends or learn anything from others mistakes.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/dead-injured-avalanche-washington-state-36502927