Heightened conditions exist already this morning on drifted upper and mid-elevation slopes, and the danger will increase and become more widespread as new snow accumulates and is drifted into avalanche starting zones. Human triggered avalanches, 1 to 3 feet deep and large cornice falls will become increasingly likely today. Cornices are likely to break much further back than expected and could be quite large. You could encounter fresh, soft wind slabs or stiff harder old drifts that allow you to get out on them before releasing. Avalanches and cornice falls are most likely at upper elevations on slopes facing northwest, north, northeast, and east, but possible on many upper and mid elevation slopes.

Dangerous human triggered avalanches consisting of wind drifted snow and failing on a buried persistent weak layer will become more likely. Frost or feathery surface hoar and thick and thinner layers of small-grained near surface facets plagued the snow surface on many slopes before the Superbowl Storm. These are notorious persistent weak layers, and in some areas were buried intact, so the danger of avalanches failing on one will linger for a while.

Recent storms added a good deal of weight to slopes with poor snow structure and increased the danger of avalanches failing on a deeper persistent weak layer. Buried layers of loose, sugary, faceted snow have been reactivated in some areas. Potential for significant accumulations of SWE in the next few days could add quite a bit more weight to the slab overloading the buried weak snow. Dangerous, 2 to 4-foot-deep hard slab avalanches are possible for people to trigger, especially on steep, recently drifted slopes with poor snow structure.

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