Warm temperatures and sunshine will cause the hazard to increase throughout the day. Temperatures at the upper elevations remained mostly above freezing overnight and rose well into the 40s yesterday. Slab avalanches lie upon persistent weak layers and will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as the day progresses. Shallow wet loose slides are also possible in steep sunlit cliff areas. Cornices could fail and trigger dense surface slabs on steep slopes.
Dense, surface slabs, up to two feet in depth will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as the day warms. The potential exist for these slabs to step down to deeper layers of faceted snow with depths to four feet.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The high pressure ridge will keep mainly dry weather over the region until Tuesday evening when some moisture approaches from the southwest. Tuesday will dawn with mostly clear skies above areas of valley fog or low clouds. Temperatures will be inverted with overnight lows in the upper 20s in the mountains and in the teens in the coldest valley locations. Clouds will move in from the south during the day. Temperatures are expected to rise into the upper 30s at all elevations. Winds will be light from the southwest at around 10 miles per hour. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE. At the mid and upper elevations surface slabs lie upon a buried layer of surface hoar and could be triggered by skiers or riders with depths to two feet in isolated areas. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.
