The avalanche danger is MODERATE at the upper elevations where there are fresh slabs of wind-drifted snow. These wind slabs will be 4-12" thick and may be reactive to a rider.
At the low and mid elevations - and in upper elevation terrain where there is no wind-drifting - the avalanche danger is LOW with the primary concern of sluffing in the loose snow on steep and sustained aspects.
With plenty of loose, dry snow available for transport, the northwest winds may create sensitive soft slabs of wind-drifted snow in the upper elevations. These fresh drifts will be 4-12" thick and may be sensitive to the weight of a rider.
How to spot these fresh wind drifts? Watch for smooth rounded pillows as an indication of a wind-loaded slope and cracking as an indication of sensitivity.
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One natural avalanche was reported in the upper Cottonwoods (photo below) on a northeast aspect at 10,700'. This was a fresh wind slab 4-6" deep (although up to 12" in places) that ran 300' vertical. This wind slab formed late Sunday afternoon as the northwest winds began to increase.
Otherwise, only minor sluffing on steep slopes was reported.
This Morning: Skies are clear and temperatures range from 8-15° F. Winds are from the west/northwest and have been increasing since late Sunday afternoon, gusting into the low to mid 20's mph through 10,000', with much stronger winds at the upper elevations with averages in the 30's and gusting into the 40's mph.
Today: Sunny with a few high clouds with temperatures rising into the mid-teens and low 20's F. Winds will be from the northwest gusting into the teens and low 20's mph at the mid elevations, with stronger gusts into the 40's mph at the upper-most elevations.
This Week: A few snowflakes are possible later Tuesday and then again Thursday. Although we may see a few inches of snow in about a week, there are no significant storms are in sight.
Saturday's 3-6" of fresh snow improved riding conditions and today's cold temperatures will be perfect for preserving the powder.
What happened to the Persistent Weak Layer (PWL) problem? The PWL problem first appeared in the December 1 forecast and was removed from the forecast on Wednesday, December 20. On Thursday, December 21, forecasters Nikki Champion and Greg Gagne talked about the PWL problem over a Zoom call and their 5-minute discussion. Be sure to watch the video.
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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
