Loose Wet
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
The snowpack is rapidly baking down and settling during this intense heat wave as long sunny days input plenty of energy, and poor overnight freezes keep conditions near the melting level around the clock. The sheer magnitude of current high day time temperatures and rapid change gives the forecast team warranted cause for concern. Many old snowfields that remain on sunny aspects are consolidated, but it is the shallow and more transitional areas that have heightened danger. Conditions are not just hazardous for wet-loose avalanche potential, but primarily for knee-twisting and trench warfare like conditions. Transitional snow areas are just plain nasty and risky right now. Many mid to lower elevation E-S-W aspects exhibit completely un-supportable and moist to wet conditions. Loose cohesionless snow was observed as early as Wednesday at the upper elevations (11,000ft+) on steeper Easterly aspects. Northerly aspects with residual surface snow from previous little storms present heinous sticky and gloppy conditions. Much of the forecast zone did not see freezing temperatures last night and today is forecast to be the hottest day of the week. Steeper terrain receiving direct impact from solar radiation, especially slopes above cliffs, or gullies and depressions would be best to avoid. Other terrain features such as granite slab with residing shallow snowfields or tight confined southerly facing couloirs that are getting roasted by the sun will be terrain to carefully consider today. Be aware of what is above you, and how you can be affected. Avoid travelling under big heating alpine faces, or within confined areas with no escape where shedding snow, rock, and ice can gain volumne as it comes down from upper elevations.