Today will be the first major warm-up of the season. Rapid warming makes wet avalanches likely. These wet snow avalanche problems will exist at all elevations and on all aspects. If you observe rollerballs, pinwheels, or start sinking into the snow- it's time to move away from slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
Today is a great day to stay home and enjoy the nice weather in the valleys.
Freezing levels will reach 9500' today. Above-freezing temperatures at the tops of the highest peaks mean wet loose avalanches are possible everywhere. If you observe rollerballs, and pinwheels or can feel the surface becoming saturated it's time to avoid avalanche terrain. A wet loose avalanche may not be big enough to bury or kill you, but could still push you into consequential terrain.
Wet Loose debris
Snow and wind on Friday (4/7) built wind slabs. These wind slabs formed on a variety of surfaces, from soft powder snow on the north-facing aspects to slick, hard melt-freeze crusts on the south. As it warms today these slabs of snow could lose their grip on the snow below. All they might need to become an avalanche is you hitting them in the right spot.
Drifts, textured snow, cornices, pillows, and hollow-sounding snow are signs of wind slabs. If you see these signs avoid slopes over 30 degrees.
Wind textured snow
Weather stations recorded at or above-freezing temperatures overnight. Freezing levels today are forecasted to rise from 6500' to 9500'. Above-freezing temperatures near the tops of the highest peaks will make for dangerous avalanche conditions. This is the first big warm-up of the season and a rapid change from the winter-like conditions we have been experiencing. The snowpack doesn't like rapid changes and avalanches occur as a result.
This warm-up will make the snow wet, heavy, and sticky. Conditions will not be good for snow sliding or snow riding. You will likely sink your legs or machine way down into the snowpack. Today is a great day to stay home and enjoy the nice weather in the valleys.
Cornices: We have observed some major cornice growth over the past couple of weeks, and cornices don't like major warming events. A cornice failure has the potential to trigger weak layers buried deep in the snowpack, that aren't influenced by the weight of a skier or rider. As the snow levels increase late in the weekend avoid traveling on or below slopes with cornices overhead. There's no way to predict when a cornice may decide to cut loose, and you don't want to be below if this occurs. Cornices also connect to terrain much further back than we might expect. So give them plenty of space, and avoid traveling too close to them in general.
