The general avalanche hazard is LOW early this morning, will rise to MODERATE before noon and could rise to CONSIDERABLE in the afternoon if mostly clear skies prevail throughout the day. Warm temperatures over the past several days, along with mostly above freezing overnight lows, have created an unconsolidated snowpack producing unstable conditions in steep terrain on a variety of aspects. Natural and skier triggered wet slides have been observed over the past several days, and similar slides are possible today. As the day warms, the likelihood of these slides occurring will increase.
Wet loose avalanches are likely today on a variety of aspects in steep terrain at all elevations. These wet slides could be human triggered or release spontaneously and have potential to entrain snow to the ground in areas where the snowpack is isothermal.
Wet slab avalanches are possible in steep terrain and could be human triggered or released naturally in response to warming temperatures.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Southwesterly flow aloft will bring moisture over the region overnight before drier conditions and decreasing cloud cover prevail during the day. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the mid to upper 20s before rising into the mid-30s in the afternoon. Westerly ridgetop winds will range from 10 to 20 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW early Wednesday morning before quickly rising to MODERATE before noon and possibly to CONSIDERABLE in the afternoon. Cloud cover overnight will help keep the snowpack from losing heat through radiational cooling, and frozen snow surfaces should break down quickly in the morning hours. Conditions will continue to be unstable on steep slopes with areas of unconsolidated snow, and wet loose sluffs and wet slabs will again become a concern once snow surfaces soften. Plan for an early start, and monitor conditions closely.
