Dangerous avalanche conditions exist above 8,500 feet, where humans can trigger large slab avalanches. These slabs could be from the recent storm and have the potential to step down into persistent weak layers of faceted snow. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision making are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain today.
At the higher elevations, dense slab avalanches involving the recent new snow can be human triggered on a variety of aspects. Slab depths could be one to three feet with the deeper depths favoring the upper elevation avalanche starting zones. Below 8,000 feet, smaller wind slabs up to 18 inches in depth cloud be human triggered in steep avalanche prone terrain.
Above 8,500 feet, weak snow lies near the base of the snowpack. This weakness is most likely to be found on northwest through northeast aspects, although it does exist on other aspects at the higher elevations. New snow is stressing this layer, making it more susceptible to failure. If triggered, these avalanches could have crown depths up to five feet in depth and it would be difficult to survive one of these hard slab avalanches.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Skies will be mostly cloudy with periods of light snowfall. The higher elevations may receive 3 to 6 inches during the next 24 hours. Valley locations are likely to receive less than an inch. Temperatures will be in the teens and 20's. Winds will be from the west to southwest with gusts from 30 to 40 miles per hour on the peaks. Conditions are dangerous at the mid and upper elevations. Large slab avalanches can be triggered by humans on steep slopes. These dangerous slides could be 2 to 5 feet deep. Up there the general avalanche hazard is expected to be considerable. Some potential remains for humans to trigger smaller slab avalanches on isolated terrain features at the lower elevations (below 7,500 feet). Down there the general avalanche hazard is expected to be low.
