Sunshine and warming temperatures will increase the hazard as the day progresses. At the higher elevations pockets of wind slab up to two feet in depth will become increasingly sensitive to human triggers as the day warms. Shallow, wet loose slides are likely on steep sunlit slopes during the heat of the day. The warming temperatures will also increase the potential for snowmobilers to trigger dangerous hard slab avalanches in isolated areas.
A slight possibility may remain for large loads to trigger deep hard slabs in isolated areas where weak faceted snow persist near the base of the snowpack. These dangerous slabs could have depths to five feet and the potential for humans to trigger one of these dangerous slides will increase as the day warms.
Slab avalanches up to two feet in depth that were formed by northwest winds could be triggered by riders or skiers in very steep terrain and cliff areas. The likelihood of triggering these surface slabs will increase as the day warms.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A high pressure ridge will build into the area and bring a prolonged period of dry conditions with the warmest temperatures of the spring. On Monday skies will be mostly sunny in the morning and clear in the afternoon. Temperatures at 10,500 feet will rise above freezing while valley temperatures rise into the 40s. West winds will decrease from 20 to 10 miles per hour.At the upper elevations warm temperatures and sunshine will increase the avalanche hazard and cause shallow point slides to occur on steep slopes and increase the sensitivity of shallow slab avalanches to human triggers. Wet loose and wet slab avalanches with depths to two feet are likely to be easily triggered by humans and could release naturally. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the upper elevations and may increase to CONSIDERABLE in the afternoon. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW at the lower elevations.
