Sunshine and rising temperatures will cause the general avalanche hazard to increase during the day. Snowmobilers could trigger dangerous hard slab avalanches in isolated areas. Dense wind slabs could also be triggered by riders or skiers on steep slopes with recent deposits of wind blown snow.
Today's warming temperatures and sunshine will increase the potential for snowmachines 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.
Dense wind slabs one to two feet in depth could be triggered by riders or skiers on steep slopes with fresh deposits of wind blown snow. Rising temperatures and sunshine will increase the likelihood for skiers and riders to trigger these surface slabs.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Temperatures will drop into the teens overnight under partly cloudy skies. Clouds will increase on Tuesday ahead of an approaching low pressure system. Winds will be light and variable. Temperatures will rise into the 20s and 30s in the mountains and to near 40 in the valleys.Skiers and riders who venture into steep avalanche terrain at the mid and upper elevations could trigger surface slabs up to 30 inches in depth. The sensitivity of these slabs to human triggers will increase after temperatures rise and on slopes that receive sunshine. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the mid and upper elevations and LOW at the lower elevations.
