Yesterday, backcountry travelers triggered several soft slabs ranging in depth from 12 to 30 inches. These slides were failing either on old snow surfaces, which consist of slick crusts and facet snow, or density breaks within the new snow. In one of these events, a skier was caught, carried and partially buried, but was uninjured. Similar slides are possible today. As the day warms, the likelihood of triggering these slides will increase, particularly on southerly aspects if extended periods of sunshine occur. Some potential may remain for these slabs to step down to a buried layer of surface hoar which formed in mid-January. Daytime warming will also bring about the possibility of shallow wet slides at the lower elevations.
Recently formed surface slabs lie upon slick sun crusts and faceted snow. At the mid and upper elevations backcountry travelers could trigger these slabs to depths of one to three feet in steep, avalanche-prone terrain. At the lower elevations, skiers and riders might be able to trigger similar slides, but with depths of six to 18 inches.
Friday looks to be partly to mostly cloudy and slightly warmer with temperatures in the mid thirties expected at 9000 feet. West to southwest winds are to be strong with averages over thirty miles per hour. These winds will limit rapid heating of the snow surface in high terrain, however warming will still make current slabs more sensitive to human triggers in the afternoon. These slabs lie on all aspects in the backcountry and although the snowpack is adjusting and gaining strength, slabs that have formed since Sunday night could be triggered in steep wind loaded avalanche terrain to depths up to two feet. The general avalanche hazard will be rated as MODERATE.
