Snow throughout the week and southwest to northwest winds have formed wind slabs at all elevations. These slabs could be triggered by backcountry skiers or riders this morning and will increase in both size and sensitivity as they are further loaded by new snow and west winds today. Additional hazard exists above 7500 feet where weak snow persists in the snowpack. Although there has not been recent activity involving this deep layer, failure of large dangerous avalanches remains possible, especially given the amount of loading expected over the next several days. Conservative decision making and cautious route taking are essential today.
Soft wind slabs with depths to two feet have been formed over the past week. These slabs lie on hard snow surfaces in some areas and on faceted snow in more protected, colder areas. They could be easily be triggered today by backcountry riders or skiers. Watch out for steep terrain with obvious areas of wind loading.
Hard slabs, with depths to four feet, lie upon persistent weak layers of faceted snow on a variety of aspects. A snowmobile, the weight of a single skier or the release of wind slab could trigger one of these hard slabs. Previous tracks and the lack of recent avalanche activity are not indications of stability.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )After a lull in the action tonight, another storm is to impact the area by the late morning. Snowfall is to increase through the afternoon and evening. Mountain temperatures are to rise from the single digits to near twenties degrees. Winds are to be westerly with twenty to twenty five mile per hour averages.The general avalanche hazard will be Moderate in morning. The hazard could raise to Considerable in the afternoon depending on the timing and intensity of the next system. New and recent snow and periods of strong winds over the week have formed slabs that could be triggered to depths of two feet in steep wind loaded terrain. Older weaknesses that lie near the base of the snowpack also pose a threat. Although failure of these deeper instabilities is trending toward unlikely, larger triggers such as groups of people or the triggering of one of the surface slabs could still cause a large hard slab avalanche to occur.
