Stormy weather today with gusty winds and steady snowfall will increase the potential for triggering small wind slab avalanches on steep terrain. At the upper elevations, small slabs that formed earlier this week still exist, and snowfall today will create new wind slabs that will become more widespread as the storm progresses. At the mid elevations, avalanche activity is unlikely this morning but the hazard could increase depending on snowfall amounts and wind speeds. At the lower elevations, the avalanche hazard is Low, and a wintery mix may destabilize the snow’s surfaces. Backcountry travelers should monitor the new storm’s arrival and changing conditions.
Shallow wind slabs exist at the upper elevations and today, new slabs will form on leeward terrain features. These soft slab avalanches could be up to a foot in depth and in areas with heavy wind loading may be deeper. The new snow is falling on a variety of surfaces from soft snow to crusts that may create good sliding surfaces.
Snowfall has begun to taper off this afternoon. Expect lingering isolated snow showers overnight with accumulations in the trace to 1” range. Temperatures between 8,000 and 9,000 feet will dip into the teens overnight and rise into the high twenties to low thirties tomorrow. Winds will be out of the west and northwest at 15-20 mph. Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies during the day with periods of sunshine.As snowfall tapers off tonight, the likelihood of triggering avalanches will generally decrease. However, the possibility will remain for triggering small wind slab avalanches in the upper elevations tomorrow. Westerly winds will help to redistribute today’s new snow onto leeward slopes. Warming temperatures during the day combined with periods of sun will help make triggering wind slabs easier. The temperature/sun combo will also allow for shallow wet loose avalanches in steep sunlit terrain at all elevations. The avalanche danger will remain Moderate in the upper elevations and Low below 9,000 feet.
