The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE above an elevation of 9,000 feet and MODERATE below that elevation. Up to 15 inches of new snow with over an inch of moisture has fallen since Saturday morning at the higher elevations. Strong west to northwest winds have loaded lee slopes. Areas of unstable snow exist and human triggered avalanches are likely in steep, wind loaded avalanches starting zones at the upper elevations and are possible at the mid elevations.
Dense slab avalanches one to to two feet in depth could be human triggered at the higher elevations. The deeper slabs are more likely to occur on northerly aspects, failing on a buried layer of faceted snow at the base of the snowpack. At the mid elevations some potential exists for humans to trigger slab avalanches up to 18 inches deep.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Periods of mainly light snowfall will occur overnight as a fast moving low pressure trough sweeps across the area in a northwesterly flow. This snowfall is expected to taper off during the day on Monday. Temperatures will remain near 10 degrees in the mountains overnight and rise into the teens during the day. Temperatures will be in the teens and 20s in the valley. Winds will be west-northwest at 18 to 27 with gusts to 40 miles per hour.Human triggered slab avalanches are possible in steep avalanche prone terrain at the mid and upper elevations. These slabs could be triggered by the weight of a single person. Slab depths are likely to be one to two feet in depth and could step down on steep northerly aspects to depths of three feet. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the mid and upper elevations and LOW below an elevation of 7,500 feet.
