Overnight temperatures were near freezing. As temperatures warm the potential for wet slides to occur and for cornices to fail will increase. Cornice drops could trigger large slab avalanches. Monitor conditions, evaluate terrain carefully and avoid avalanche prone terrain after significant warming has occurred. Periods of intense snowfall are possible at the upper elevations in association with the passage of a cold front. If intense snowfall rates continue for a sustained period new snow instability may develop on very steep slopes.
Wet slides are possible in very steep terrain on a variety of aspects. In areas with a shallow isothermal snowpack these slides could gouge down to the ground.
Large cornices exist at the upper elevations and may become unstable as the day warms. Cornice failure could be triggered by the weight of a person or occur naturally. Cornice drops upon steep slopes could trigger large slab avalanches.
Another cold front is forecast to move in from the north and bring clouds, mountain snow showers and colder temperatures to the region. Skies will be mostly cloudy. Temperatures will be in the 20s in the mountains. Winds will be from the west-northwest at 20 to 30 miles per hour with higher gusts. Snow shower activity could bring an inch of two of new snow to the mountains.The cooler temperatures will mitigate the wet slide avalanche hazard. Small pockets of new wind slab up to six inches deep may form in some upper elevation avalanche starting zones and cliff areas. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW.
