At the mid and upper elevations, backcountry travelers might be able to trigger persistent slabs up to four feet deep on steep avalanche prone slopes. Avalanches are less likely at the lower elevations, but could still be triggered with depths to one foot in steep terrain.
Persistent slabs lie upon weak, faceted snow and sun crusts formed during the January dry period. There is a high degree of spatial variability associated with these weak layers. In some areas, these weak layers have strengthened, but that is not the case everywhere. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and identify features of concern.
Expect cloud cover to increase overnight ahead of a weak disturbance in northwest flow that will begin to bring scattered snow showers to the region during the day on Tuesday. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the negative single digits before rising into the teens during the day. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will range from 10 to 20 miles per hour.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Tuesday. Backcountry travelers could trigger slides up to four feet deep in steep, avalanche prone terrain. These persistent slabs lie upon weak, faceted snow and hard surfaces that formed during the January dry period. There is a high degree of spatial variability associated with these weak layers, which makes it difficult to predict how a slope will react to the presence of skiers or riders. Adjacent slopes with similar aspects could have varying conditions. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and identify features of concern.
