Slab avalanches could be triggered in cliff areas and isolated terrain features at the upper elevations. Warmer temperatures today and abundant sunshine will increase the wet snow avalanche hazard. Wet slides are possible on steep slopes after significant softening of the snow surfaces has occurred. Monitor conditions and avoid steep terrain during the warmer potion of the day.
At the upper elevations pockets of wind slab up to a foot in depth could be triggered by skiers and riders in isolated terrain features and cliff areas. Warming temperatures and sunshine will increase the sensitivity of these slabs to human triggers.
Expect mostly clear skies overnight and into Thursday before cloud cover begins to increase in the afternoon ahead of an approaching Pacific disturbance. Overnight lows in the mountains will fall into the mid 20s before climbing into the mid 40s during the day. The valleys will drop to near freezing by the early morning hours and then rebound into the mid to upper 50s in the afternoon. Southeasterly ridgetop winds will increase to 20 to 30 miles per hour.With a hard freeze anticipated overnight, the general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW Thursday morning before possibly rising to MODERATE as the day warms. The increase in hazard will depend on when cloud cover moves into the area. Warm temperatures and sunshine will bring back the threat of shallow wet slides on sunlit slopes later in the day. Monitor the sun’s impact on snow surfaces, and begin to transition to cooler terrain when surface crusts start to break down. At the higher elevations, skiers and riders might still be able to trigger an isolated pocket of wind slab up to a foot deep on very steep, avalanche prone slopes that have not been significantly affected by the sun. This hazard is likely to be more widespread in the cooler terrain above 10,500 feet.
