The primary hazard to backcountry travelers are new wind slabs that formed overnight. These surface slabs could be human triggered in steep terrain at the mid and upper elevations. Although unlikely, some potential may persist for deep persistent slabs to be human triggered on steep north to east facing terrain above an elevation of 9,000 feet. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.
At the mid and upper elevations west-southwest winds have created new wind slabs on firm old snow surfaces. These slabs could be human triggered in steep terrain with depths to 18 inches.
Some potential may persist for humans to trigger deep hard slabs on steep east to northerly aspects above an elevation of 9,000 feet. If triggered these slabs will fail on faceted snow that formed in early November with crown depths of three to five feet.
Skies will be partly cloudy overnight with light and variable winds. Temperature inversions will develop by morning with overnight lows near 10 degrees at 10,500 feet and in the single digits in the valleys. Warmer air will move in aloft from the west on Monday along with increasing winds. Light snow will develop in the mountains during the day and filter down to the valleys by evening. Several inches of accumulation are possible at the highest elevations by sunset. Temperatures will rise into the 20s. Southwest winds are forecast to increase to speeds of 20 with gusts to 40 miles per hour by noon. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW below an elevation on 9,000 feet. At the higher elevations the general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE. In the morning pockets of surface slab 6 to 12 inches in depth and up to 18 inches in depth in isolated areas could be human triggered in steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones. Increasing winds during the day will drift available snow onto leeward aspects and begin to create new pockets of shallow wind slab.
