Above 7,500 feet, backcountry travelers could easily trigger newly developed wind slabs in steep, wind-loaded avalanche terrain. These slabs, with depths of one to two feet, formed on sun crusts and surface hoar.
Weak, faceted snow persists at the base of the snowpack in shaded terrain at the upper elevations. Skiers and riders could trigger persistent slabs to depths of two to three feet. These slabs could also step down from the failure of new wind slabs.
Periods of mainly light snowfall will occur overnight as a fast moving low pressure trough sweeps across the area in a northwesterly flow. This snowfall is expected to taper off during the day on Monday. Temperatures will remain near 10 degrees in the mountains overnight and rise into the teens during the day. Temperatures will be in the teens and 20s in the valley. Winds will be west-northwest at 18 to 27 with gusts to 40 miles per hour.Human triggered slab avalanches are possible in steep avalanche prone terrain at the mid and upper elevations. These slabs could be triggered by the weight of a single person. Slab depths are likely to be one to two feet in depth and could step down on steep northerly aspects to depths of three feet. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE at the mid and upper elevations and LOW below an elevation of 7,500 feet.
