Avalanche conditions in the backcountry continue to be DANGEROUS. Skiers and riders venturing into avalanche terrain can cause failure of weak persistent snow layers deep in the snowpack. This problem exists on all aspects at elevations above 7500 feet and is limited to isolated areas of north facing terrain below that elevation.These slabs have become less sensitive but could still release to the weight of a single person or after a slope has been tracked, making their failure harder to predict. If triggered, long propagation and very large avalanches remain possible. New snow, mixed with rain this morning, will increase the likelihood for these dangerous slides to release. Conservative terrain selection is essential.
A single person could initiate slab failure involving weak snow and hard crusts formed in late November and early December. At higher elevations, these slabs will be hard and have depths to as much as five feet. At lower elevations, slabs will be soft or hard with depths to eighteen inches.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Snow is to start to fall tonight and continue through most of Friday. The heaviest snowfall is to be between 3am and noon. Four to eight inches of snow could fall by Friday evening. Temperatures are to be cooler with highs in the mid to upper twenties expected in the mountains. Southwest winds with twenty-five to thirty-five mile per hour averages are expected during the heaviest snowfall before veering to the west during the afternoon and then the northwest during the evening. The general avalanche hazard will be Considerable above 7500 feet. Avalanches involving weak snow and hard crusts formed in late November and December could be triggered by a single person. These slabs are likely to be hard and could have depths to five or six feet at the higher elevations diminishing to depths of two feet at elevations closer to 7500 feet. Involvement in such a slide could result in injury or death. Many close calls have occurred in the region this week and conservative terrain choices are advised. New snow will increase the sensitivity of these slabs and if significant snowfall occurs, shallow and sensitive surface slabs will form in wind loaded areas. Below 7500 feet, the hazard will be low as the potential for avalanche activity is limited to very steep north facing terrain between 7000 and 7500 feet.
