At the mid and upper elevations soft surface slabs and deep hard slabs could be triggered by humans on steep slopes. The additional load of the recent snowfall has increased the likelihood for humans to trigger dangerous deep slabs in areas with poor snowpack structure. At the lower elevations wet slides are possible on steep slopes where rain falls upon an isothermal snowpack. Safe travel procedures and conservative terrain choices are essential today. Any extended periods of sunshine in the afternoon will exacerbate these avalanche problems.
Soft surface slabs up to 30 inches in depth could be triggered by humans who venture onto avalanche prone slopes. These slabs could step down and trigger dangerous persistent deep slabs in areas with poor snowpack structure.
Dangerous hard slabs with depths to six feet could be triggered on steep slopes where persistent layers weak faceted exist within the snowpack. These dangerous slabs could be triggered on slopes that have been crossed multiple times by other riders or skiers.
Wet slides are possible today on steep slopes at the lower elevations where rain falls upon an isothermal snowpack.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snowfall is expected to continue overnight with an additional four to eight inches by Tuesday morning. Overnight temperatures in the mountains will fall to near 20 as the valley struggles to drop below freezing. Westerly ridgetop winds will range from 25 to 35 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to remain CONSIDERABLE on Tuesday. Backcountry travelers could trigger dense wind slabs with depths of one to three feet in steep, wind-loaded avalanche starting zones. Large, dangerous hard slabs up to six feet in depth could also be triggered by skiers and riders in areas where weak layers of faceted snow persist within the snowpack. At the lower elevations, where temperatures could remain above freezing for the second night in a row, wet slides will remain possible, especially if rain occurs there during the day.
