At the mid and upper elevations large to very large naturally released avalanches are possible today, and large to very large human triggered avalanches are likely. At the lower elevations small to large human triggered avalanches are possible. Expert knowledge and restraint are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain today.
Winds slabs formed by very strong west to northwest winds are likely to be human triggered today and could release naturally. These slabs could have depths of two to four feet at the mid and upper elevations, and one to three feet at the lower elevations. Once triggered these slabs could step down to deeper layers.
Deep persistent slabs with depths of four to six feet lie upon buried layers of weak faceted snow and have potential to release naturally, or be triggered by the weight of a single person or by the release of an overlying wind slab.
Periods of clouds and a few snow flurries are possible overnight. On Wednesday skies will be partly cloudy with temperatures rising into the mid 20s to low 30s. Northwest winds will diminish to 20 miles per hour overnight and increase to 25 to 30 with gusts to 40 to 50 miles per hour in the afternoon and evening.Dense wind slabs that formed during the past five days may seem to be stable in some areas but in other areas they lie upon snow that is weak and faceted. Determining which slopes are stable and which are unstable may not be possible. Slab avalanches up to six feet in depth could be human triggered with fatal consequences. Expert knowledge is not enough for safe travel in avalanche terrain during these conditions. This knowledge must be paired with restraint and conservation terrain choices. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE.
