Backcountry riders and skiers could trigger slab avalanches to depths of four feet at the mid and high elevations. Predicting unstable areas or slabs is very difficult at this time however activity is only expected in very steep terrain. At low elevations avalanches are unlikely except for isolated pockets of slabs to one foot depths in very steep terrain.
Persistent hard slabs rest on weak January drought surfaces on a variety of aspects. These slabs could be triggered by backcountry travelers in very steep avalanche starting zones or in cliff areas with depths of two to four feet.
After a mostly clear night snowfall is to develop Friday morning and increase in intensity later Friday afternoon and evening as a large low pressure system begins to impact the area. This system is expected to track to the south of the region and bring strongest snowfall to the southern and eastern mountains of our forecast areas. Temperatures are to rise into the low twenties and winds are to be southerly with ten mile per hour averages. The general avalanche hazard will be Moderate as slabs to four foot depths lie over persistent weak layers formed in January. These slabs are most likely to be found in very steep avalanche starting zones and in cliff and rocky areas.
