Cooler temperatures and clear skies through most of the night have hardened the surface of the snowpack and avalanche activity is unlikely this morning. As sunlight and increasing temperatures soften this surface, wet loose avalanches will become possible. This hazard will increase in elevation as the day progresses. Beware of steep terrain where the snowpack becomes warm and is both unconsolidated and not supportive.
The chance for wet loose slides will develop and continue to increase today in very steep terrain and cliff areas. These wet slides could release naturally or be triggered by humans. Once initiated, these slides can fan out and gain volume as they entrain deeper snow during their descent.
Cloud cover will continue to increase overnight as the transitory ridge shifts east and southwesterly flow aloft develops. The flow aloft will bring Pacific moisture and a fast moving system to the region beginning early Saturday morning in the northwest before it reaches the southeastern portion of the forecast area later in the morning. Precipitation will be in the form of a rain/snow mix in the valleys and snow in the mountains. At the higher elevations, storm totals could reach four to eight inches of new snow by Saturday evening. Overnight temperatures in the mountains will be in the low to mid 20s before rising to near 30 during the day. Valley temperatures might dip below freezing by the early morning hours before climbing into the mid 40s in the afternoon. Southwesterly ridgetop winds will increase to 15 to 25 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW Saturday morning. The threat of shallow wet loose sluffs could return at the lower elevations once surface crusts break down, if they freeze at all. With overnight temperatures well below freezing at the higher elevations, avalanches involving the old snow will be unlikely. Depending on snowfall amounts, isolated pockets of very shallow soft slab could slowly build as the day progresses in leeward terrain near upper elevation ridgelines. Seek colder terrain if surfaces crusts start out unsupportable or when they begin to break down, and monitor the possibility of new slab development up high.
