At the highest elevations increasing winds and new snow will start creating new wind slabs. These slabs are expected to increase in size and volume during the day. At most elevations new snow will be accumulating on warm snow surfaces that experienced a rain on snow event yesterday morning and have been exposed to above freezing temperatures for the better part of the last 48 hours. Wet snow avalanches continue to be a concern at all elevations.
Wet slides continue to be a problem. These slides are most likely to occur on very steep slopes where the snowpack is wet and unconsolidated. Once triggered these slides could gouge down through old snow surfaces to the ground and become destructive and difficult to escape.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The next storm system will begin to impact the region after midnight and continue into Friday morning. This storm will bring 6 to 14 inches of snow to the upper elevations. Rain showers will occur at the lower elevations until colder air moves in and the snow level descends to the valley floor on Thursday afternoon. West winds will increase with gusts up to 60 miles per hour. At the upper elevations the new snow and strong gusty winds will create new wind slabs that will become sensitive to human triggers, especially on slopes that are being rapidly loaded. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE in the morning and may increase to CONSIDERABLE in areas favored by this storm system.
