Warm temperatures and rain shower have increased the wet slide avalanche hazard. wet slab and wet loose slides are possible on steep avalanche prone slopes. Avoid steep slopes with areas of wet, unconsolidated snow.
Wet slabs and wet loose avalanches are possible on steep avalanche prone slopes today. Thee slabs avalanches could be up to two feet deep. Once released these slabs and wet loose slides could gouge down into older snow layers.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A fast moving cold front will bring rain and snow showers to the area overnight. The freezing level will be around 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Favored locations at the higher elevations could receive 3 to 6 inches of new snow. Most of the higher elevations will get 1 to 3 inches. On Wednesday skies will be mostly cloudy with decreasing snow and rain showers. Temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s in the mountains and in the 30s and 40s in the valleys. Winds will be from the southwest at 25 to 30 with gusts to 40 miles per hour.At the higher elevation the new snow and winds will create shallow pockets of new soft slab. Snow at the lower elevations will be mostly soft and unconsolidated. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the upper elevations and LOW below an elevation of 8,500 feet.
