Recent snow and strong winds that veered from the southwest to the east have formed surface slabs on a variety of aspects. These slabs lie over a snowpack that has persistent weak snow layers. At the mid and upper elevations, the new slabs could release to depths of eighteen inches in wind loaded areas and could involve old snow layers to depths of three feet. At lower elevations the new snow lies directly on a weak faceted snowpack and slabs to a foot in depth could be triggered on very steep wind loaded slopes. The danger rating has lowered to Moderate due to the sensitivity of the slabs decreasing and natural avalanche activity not being expected, Make no mistake that the chance continues for a single person to trigger slab avalanches that could be large and have severe consequences. Carefully evaluate terrain and the snowpack prior to travelling on steep avalanche slopes.
Above 8000 feet, large slab avalanches could be triggered by skiers or riders on steep avalanche prone slopes. These slabs could step down to buried weak layers of faceted snow and have depths to 3 feet.. Below 8000 feet, pockets of wind slab lie upon depth hoar and could be human triggered with depths to one foot.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Temperatures are expected to drop quickly tonight as skies clear and winds diminish. Valleys will be the coldest in the morning as a temperature inversion begins to develop. A sunny day on Tuesday will bring the valley temperatures from potentially near minus twenty degrees up to the single digits. Mountain temperatures should start a little warmer and also rise into the single digits. Winds are to be light and variable. The general avalanche danger is expected to be Moderate tomorrow. The possibility of triggering the new surface slabs and larger, dangerous persistent slabs continues. This lowering of the danger rating is simply due to the slabs becoming slightly less sensitive and naturally occurring events not being expected. It is a time to exercise a lot of caution and not let sunny skies or other factors lure you into steep avalanche terrain as the presence of a single person could still trigger events with dire consequences.
