Another warm night has temperatures starting at or above freezing in the mountains. Snow surfaces will quickly weaken this morning as temperatures rise in advance of a system bringing moisture from the south later today. Consecutive warm nights during the early spring demand respect as both wet loose and wet slab activity as well as natural cornice failure becomes increasingly possible. Some potential may exist for large wet slab avalanches to be triggered by snowmobilers in isolated areas where buried layers of faceted snow persist in the snowpack. Glide avalanche activity is possible on slopes where glide avalanches historically occur. Avoid being in or under steep avalanche terrain this afternoon.
Wet loose slides are possible in very steep terrain on a variety of aspects after snow surfaces soften. These slides entrain deeper layers in areas where the snowpack is isothermal.
Large overhanging cornices could fail due to sustained warm temperatures at the higher elevations. Cornice failures could trigger wet slab avalanches on steep slopes. Avoid cornices and the slopes beneath them.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Following a morning with increasing clouds, a system will bring moisture from the south to the area on Saturday afternoon. Temperatures are to stay on the warm side, and the precipitation should fall as rain to at least 9000 feet. The moisture will be showery in nature, and thunderstorms are possible. Winds from the southwest are to increase to fifteen to twenty mile per hour averages.The avalanche hazard will be Moderate on Saturday. In higher terrain where the snow surface freezes overnight, the hazard will be Low in the early morning before quickly returning to Moderate as those surfaces weaken. Warm overnight temperatures in the mountains in the early spring demand respect. This is a period when large cornices could fail or when small wet slides in long steep avalanche paths can entrain large volumes of snow as they descend from above.
