The primary concern remains the possibility of triggering dense, persistent slabs at the mid and upper elevations. In steep, avalanche-prone terrain, backcountry travelers might be able to trigger very shallow soft slabs involving the new snow, which are building on firm old snow surfaces. The snowpack is mostly stable at the lower elevations and avalanches are unlikely.
Dense slabs, one to two feet in depth lie upon a buried layer of surface hoar. Skiers and riders might still be able to trigger these slabs in isolated areas.
Cloud cover will decrease overnight and mostly clear skies are expected on Thursday as high pressure builds into the region. Overnight lows in the mountains will dip into the upper teens before rising to near 30 during the day. Ridgetop winds will be light and variable.Mostly stable snow exists, and the general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW on Thursday. Low hazard does not mean no hazard. Buried surface hoar persists in the snowpack six to eighteen inches below the old snow surface. In isolated areas where surface hoar growth was most prolific, skiers and riders might still be able to trigger hard slabs failing on this weak layer. The likelihood of triggering these slabs will increase as the day warms, particularly on sunlit aspects. Shallow wet loose sluffs involving the new snow will also be possible in the afternoon on steep, sun-affected slopes.
