Gunnison

Meager storm totals range from 1 to 3 inches with a chance for an additional two inches during the day.  Expect that in steep terrain you will be able to produce small sluffs in the new snow.  Light northwesterly winds last night and today may form shallow, isolated drifts at upper elevations and in extreme terrain.  Pushing snow on small, steep test slopes will help you gauge sluffing in the new snow.  Look for scouring on windward features or small amounts of cornice grown to help clue you into the adjacent features that may have formed shallow slabs at upper elevations.

Weather stations are showing 1 to 3 inches around the area with the potential for an inch or two more at the highest elevations.  Today's weather forecast may provide an additional inch or so of new snow during the day for areas west and north of town that do well under northwest flow.  The small storm totals will create two small avalanche problems to manage.  On steep terrain features, you will likely be able to produce sluffing that entrains the few inches of new snow.  On large terrain features or in extreme terrain, this could cause a problem if it knocks you down and causes you to fall through dangerous and complex terrain.  Simple ski cuts or pushing snow on steep test slopes will be helpful to gauge how much an issue sluffing will be. 

Moderate west-southwest winds blew when the snowfall initially started around 4 pm but died down for most of the night.  Anticipate that you could find isolated, shallow slabs at upper elevations.  Fresh wind-drifted slabs will be too small to bury a person, but much like the sluffing, it could be big enough to knock you down.  To identify small slabs in the alpine, look for areas where the recent snowfall was scoured from windward places and deposited on adjacent leeward features.  You may also notice small amounts of growth on existing cornices.  Cracking is also a clear sign you have found an isolated area of wind-drifted snow.  Finding 8" or more of windblown snow is a good indication of increased hazard.  Enjoy the slight refresh in riding conditions, but keep in mind that a very small avalanche can have high consequences in extreme terrain. 

Tonight may bring another round of snowfall and will incrementally add to the current storm totals.  The trend for tomorrow's danger rating was raised to MODERATE to account for the potential increase in danger at upper elevations as the snow slowly stacks up particularly if wind speeds increase.