Backcountry travelers could trigger recently developed wind slabs in steep, wind-loaded terrain. These slabs are most likely to be encountered in exposed terrain near ridgelines where the most heavy wind loading has occurred. In areas that went through a melt-freeze cycle yesterday and last night, the chance of triggering these slides is greatly diminished. These slabs could step down to persistent weak layers deep within the snowpack. With above-freezing temperatures and the threat of rain at the lower elevations, backcountry travelers still have the potential to trigger pockets of shallow slab in steep terrain.
Strong west to northwest winds have formed wind slabs on leeward slopes at all elevations. These slabs could be triggered with depths up to 30 inches at the mid and upper elevations, and up to a foot at the lower elevations.
Weak layers of faceted snow persist deep within the snowpack. Failure of these layers will produce very large avalanches with depths up to seven feet. They could be triggered directly by backcountry travelers or step down from surface slabs. The consequences of being caught would most likely be fatal.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snowfall is expected to return to the area after midnight and continue into Tuesday. Accumulations of five to ten inches are possible by the evening. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the mid to upper teens before rising into the mid 20s during the day. Valley temperatures will dip into the mid 20s tonight before rising to near 40 in the afternoon. Westerly to northwesterly ridgetop winds will range from 20 to 30 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE on Tuesday. In exposed terrain, backcountry travelers could trigger these slabs to depths up to 30 inches deep on steep, wind-loaded slopes. These slabs could step down to deep, persistent weak layers of faceted snow producing very dangerous slides up to six feet deep. Shallow pockets of new wind slab will slowly build as the day progresses. At the lower elevations, skiers and riders could trigger pockets of slab up to a foot deep in steep terrain if temperatures remain above freezing overnight, particularly if rain occurs during the day.
