Strong winds have created new wind slabs at the upper elevations and pockets of wind slab at the mid elevations. These slabs are expected to be sensitive to human triggers and could fail on buried crusts and density differences within the recently fallen snow. These slabs could carry and harm humans who venture into steep couloirs, cliff areas and wind loaded avalanche prone slopes. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.
At the upper elevations wind slabs formed by west to southwest winds are likely to be human triggered in steep, wind loaded terrain. These slabs could be up to 30 inches deep. Pockets of wind slab up to two feet in depth could be human triggered in steep avalanche prone terrain at the mid elevations.
Moisture is to decrease overnight and partly to mostly clear skies are expected on Thursday. One to two inches of additional snowfall could occur this evening. Temperatures are to be significantly warmer Thursday with summits reaching into the low twenties and valleys reaching the low thirties. West winds are to have fifteen to thirty mile per hour averages.The general avalanche hazard is to be Moderate above 8000 feet. At those upper elevations, skier triggered soft slabs with depths to as much as two feet could be triggered in wind loaded terrain features. Below 8000 feet avalanches are less likely except for loose snow sloughing in very steep terrain.
