LOW avalanche danger continues for all elevations. Minor loose wet instabilities may form in response to daytime warming. Normal caution is advised.
Another day of sunshine and well above average air temperatures will melt this morning's surface crusts. As daytime warming progresses, areas of small loose wet instabilities may occur in response to human triggers. The vast majority of instability will occur in the form of roller balls. Small loose wet human triggered avalanches may occur in isolated areas of steep terrain. Normal caution is advised.
* Observations made yesterday on Mt. Houghton (Mount Rose area) revealed no significant instabilities. Usable snow cover on SE-S-SW aspects was generally limited to areas above 9,000'. Well established melt freeze conditions were noted on SE-S-SW aspects. E aspects were still in a transitional stage. Ski cuts on a steep E aspect at 9,200' at mid day produced only minor roller balls. Areas of cold unconsolidated snow were found in the deep shade on out of the way N aspects. Conditions elsewhere ranged from breakable crust to wind scoured.
* Observations received from south of Grouse Rock (Ward Canyon area) indicated no signs of problematic instability in a snowpit dug on a N aspect at 8,180'. Warming of snow previously unaffected by melt was noted in shaded areas. Some small skier triggered loose wet avalanches were reported on steep sun exposed terrain while descending below 8,200'.
* Snow coverage on E-SE-S-SW-W aspects varies significantly around the forecast area by elevation and location. Little to no continuous snow cover exists on these aspects below 8,200' to 9,000' depending on location. In some cases these aspects are mostly bare ground up to elevations above 10,000'.
