Recently developed wind slabs could be triggered by backcountry travelers in steep, wind loaded terrain at the mid and upper elevations. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, and avoid exposed terrain with obvious wind affected snow. At the lower elevations, recent snowfall lies upon mostly bare ground and avalanches are unlikely.
The recent snowfall and strong westerly to northwesterly ridgetop winds have created dense wind slabs above 8,000 feet. These slabs lie upon a variety of old snow surfaces, which include crusts, wind pack and faceted snow. Backcountry travelers venturing into steep, wind loaded terrain could trigger these slabs to depths of 12 to 18 inches.
Skies will be mostly clear on Sunday as high pressure continues to dominate the weather pattern. Overnight lows in the mountains will be near ten degrees before climbing to around 30 during the day. Inverted temperatures will develop during the night with valley lows in the single digits. During the day, the lower elevations temperatures will rebound to around freezing. Westerly ridgetop winds will range from 10 to 20 miles per hour.On Sunday, the general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate above 8,500 feet. There, backcountry travelers venturing into steep, wind loaded terrain could trigger pockets of recently developed wind slabs six to eighteen inches in depth. Below 8,500 feet, skiers and riders might be able to trigger an isolated pocket up to a foot deep in areas that were snow covered prior to the Thursday's storm cycle. Avalanches are unlikely in terrain where the recent snow fell onto bare ground.
