The general avalanche hazard is MODERATE above an elevation of 9,000 feet and LOW below that elevation. The hazard will be increasing as the day progresses. The combination of new snow, increasing temperatures and strong winds will create areas of unstable snow at the higher elevations. Human triggered slab avalanches are possible on steep wind loaded aspects.
At the upper elevations surface slabs up to two feet in depth could be human triggered on steep northerly aspects that are underlain by faceted snow. The sensitivity of these slabs will increase as the day progresses. Obstacles associated with shallow snow depths increase the consequences of injury if a person triggers one of these slabs.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Skies are expected to remain cloudy with less than an inch of new snow overnight. On Thursday snow is expected to develop and continue through the day and into the night. Four to eight inches of accumulation are possible at the upper elevations by Friday morning. This snowfall will be accompanied by increasing temperatures and strong southwest winds. Periods of rain are possible in the valleys. At the upper elevations increasingly denser snow will continue to accumulate on lighter density snow. The combination of new snow, warming temperatures and strong winds will create areas of unstable snow. Buried sun crusts, light density snow and faceted snow at the base of the snowpack on northerly aspects are potential bed surfaces for avalanches. Humans who venture onto steep wind loaded slopes could trigger soft surface slabs up to two feet in depth. On steep northerly aspects these slabs could step down into the base layer of faceted snow and be up to three feet deep. The general avalanche hazard at the upper elevations is expected to be MODERATE and increase as the day progresses.At the mid elevations some potential exists for humans to trigger isolated pockets of soft surface slab up to a foot deep in steep wind loaded active avalanche starting zones. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW at the mid and lower elevations.
