Since Friday morning up to eight inches of new snow with about one half inch of moisture has fallen on hard crust at the mid and upper elevations. Winds have veered from the southwest to the northeast with average speeds of 5 to 20 and gusts to 30 miles per hour. Shallow surface slabs could be human triggered in very steep terrain and cliff areas at the mid and upper elevations. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.
At the upper elevations shallow pockets of surface slab up to a foot in depth could be human triggered in steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones and cliff areas. These slabs were formed by west, northwest and northeast winds and may be found in isolated areas at the mid elevations.
Tonight will be cold, especially in the valleys where low stratus and areas of fog are expected to form and last until mid-day. Skies above will be clear. Temperatures will be in the single digits below zero when the day begins and will warm into the 20s. Winds will be light from the east to north.Shallow, loose snow sluffs and isolated pockets of soft slab less than a foot in depth could be human triggered or release in response to abundant sunshine in very steep terrain and cliff areas at the higher elevations. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW.
