Clear skies and freezing temperatures overnight formed crusts on the snow surfaces. Today as temperatures rise above freezing along with periods of sunshine, the surface crust will melt and increase the avalanche hazard to moderate. Small to large wet snow avalanches will be possible on steep slopes at all elevations. Wet slides are expected to first occur at the mid-elevations, where temperatures did not drop below freezing last night. Cornice failures are possible and may trigger wet avalanches if they fall onto steep slopes. Monitor conditions, and when snow surfaces become wet have a safe exit route avoiding being on or under avalanche terrain.
The wet snow avalanche hazard will increase on steep snow-covered slopes as the day warms. At the lower elevations, these wet slides could dig down to the ground. At the mid and upper elevations, wet loose avalanches are possible on steep slopes. At the upper elevations, wet slab avalanches are possible and could be several feet deep.
An upper-level trough approaching from the north is expected to bring a strong cold front to the region by tomorrow afternoon. Light snowfall should develop overnight and increase tomorrow with accumulations of 3 to 6 inches by the evening. In the afternoon, there will be a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will be much colder than the previous few days with mountains in the low to upper 20s and valleys in the 30s to low 40s. Westerly winds are expected to be 15 to 30 miles per hour and increase in the late afternoon as the cold front passes. The snowpack is generally stable and the avalanche hazard is expected to be low tomorrow. Toward the end of the day, new snow and moderate winds may form small wind slabs on leeward slopes at the upper elevations. By the afternoon, it may be possible for backcountry travelers to triggered slab avalanches 4 to 8 inches deep in very steep terrain at the upper elevations. This hazard depends on the amount of snowfall and wind speeds associated with the passing front.
