I suspect that - owing to the increased southwest winds - that some shallow avalanches ran naturally last night. Today, those same types of avalanches may be triggered by a skier or rider on or on approach to a steep wind drifted slope. Most slopes yesterday did not have a cohesive slab but today many do. I believe that the fresh wind drifts are now just the slabs that our previous weak layers have been waiting for. Collapsing and cracking are sure-giveaways to warn you away from steep terrain. Remember that these avalanches may be triggered from a distance or from below.

Problem: Nearly all aspects and elevations held very weak faceted sugar snow before the storm. The dangerous slopes will be the ones where winds have drifted snow into a cohesive slab. Unfortunately, many of the tell-tale signs of drifts (rounded, chalky, etc) will be covered and hidden by the new low density snow.

Solution: Slope angle is the key. Stay off of and out from underneath slopes 35° and steeper. See UAC forecaster Toby Weed's video below.

Sluffing in the steepest terrain is possible today with the additional snowfall. These will occur independent of aspect and may be enough to either gouge down into the older weak faceted snow or potentially trigger a fresh wind drift.