Don’t let days off and blue skies impair your judgement. Skiers and riders could trigger small to large wind slabs on very steep, leeward slopes above 7,500 feet. Sunshine, warming temperatures and the absence of wind could increase the likelihood of triggering these slabs on sunlit aspects in the afternoon. Monitor the effect of the sun, and transition to shaded terrain if snow surfaces become damp. While persistent deep slab avalanches are becoming an outlying event, their high consequences warrant continued mention. The snowpack is mostly stable below 7,500 feet, and significant avalanche activity is unlikely.
Backcountry travelers might still be able to trigger a persistent deep slab avalanche in isolated terrain above 7,500 feet. These slides are more likely to occur in areas where the snowpack is shallow. Substantial triggers, such as snowmobiles, cornice failures or the release of a wind slab, would be the most likely culprit to initiate one of these dangerous avalanches.
Strong southwesterly ridgetop winds veered to the northwest overnight. While sun and melt-freeze crusts have reduced snow available for transport in many areas, be on the lookout for pockets of newly developed wind slab near high elevation ridgelines. Skiers and riders venturing into very steep, wind-loaded terrain could triggers these slabs along with recently developed wind slabs up to two feet in depth that formed early in the week.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The chance for light, scattered snow showers will persist overnight before a drying trend begins in the early morning hours of Saturday. Cloud cover will decrease, and mostly clear skies are expected by noon. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near 10 degrees before rising into the low 20s in the afternoon. Southwesterly ridgetop winds will veer to the northwest and decrease to 5 to 10 miles per hour by midday.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate on Saturday. Skiers and riders could trigger recently developed wind slabs up to three feet deep in very steep, wind-loaded terrain above 7,500 feet. Sunshine, warming temperatures and the absence of wind could increase the likelihood of triggering these slabs on sunlit aspects in the afternoon. Monitor the effect of the sun, and transition to shaded terrain if snow surfaces become damp. While persistent deep slab avalanches have become an outlying event, their high consequences warrant continued mention. These slides are more likely occur in areas where the snowpack is shallow; and substantial triggers, such as snowmobiles, cornice failures or the release of a wind slab, would be the most likely culprits to initiate one of these dangerous avalanches. The snowpack is mostly stable below 7,500 feet, and significant avalanche activity is unlikely.
