There is a MODERATE avalanche danger in the steep upper elevation terrain where the wind has been forming fresh drifts. Away from areas where the wind has been drifting snow the avalanche danger remains LOW.
The increased wind speed overnight and the new snow that fell may have created some fresh drifts that might be sensitive today. Avoid steep wind loaded slopes and you'll avoid trouble. Cracking within the snow is a sign that things are sensitive.
Current Conditions: The Skyline picked up another 5 inches or so of new snow overnight. Temperatures have dropped into the single digits and the west wind has increased into the moderate speed category.
Snowpack: Our snowpack is still holding together fairly decently in the areas where it's deeper. I've been finding some weak snow in the more shallow locations. I have some concerns about some of these areas as we stack more snow up but only time will tell if anything becomes reactive and we start seeing avalanches. Perhaps after the next series of storms a pattern will start to emerge.
Weather: Today we should see some clearing later on with highs only in the low teens. Northwest wind should slow during the day. The weather pattern looks snowy over the next 5 days or so although no period looks like it will deliver large amounts of snow. The next impulse will be Saturday into Sunday bringing perhaps another 6 inches of snow. Another period of snow should bring a few more inches on Monday then another period Tuesday into Wednesday. All said and done hopefully we'll see 1 1/2 feet of snow by mid week.
SKYLINE AVALANCHES & OBSERVATIONS
This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
