The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY
CLOUDY. HIGHS 25 TO 31. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. HIGHER GUSTS OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.

TONIGHT...INCREASING CLOUDS. LOWS 17 TO 25. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. HIGHER GUSTS OUT OF INTERIOR PASSES.

SATURDAY...CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW IN THE
AFTERNOON. HIGHS AROUND 35. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

Yesterday from 2am to 4pm we saw just over 14mm of precipitation leaving behind about 18cm of new light snow at the Mt Roberts Tram summit. This was low density snow that could be easily transported.

Winds out of the SSE blew durning most of the event from 10-35 miles per hour building wind slabs on N-W facing lee slopes. In many places these were easily human triggered showing that they were also nearing a natural state of instability. This wind condition tends to cross load our urban avalanche paths and may have created weakness in places while scouring others.

Temperatures rose more than 5c degrees during this event adding to the load in the upper layers on lower low density layers that may not support them well.

The mouse trap has been set... Be cautious of wind slabs today in your travels. Be mindful to avoid wind loaded slopes.

Remember that although we only received about 8\" of new snow in places with windload these slabe may be 20\"+ deep.

Today we will not see much in the way of new snow. Winds are light to moderate but shifting directions to a direction that tends to directly top load our urban avalanche paths. Even though the winds are fairly light look to see wind transport and if you do recognize this is adding to the instability equasion in places.

With higher winds gusts possible out of the interior and a loading direction that does not favor our urban enviroment I will be keeping the danger at Considerable today.

Natural Avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are likely in windloaded places.

For the most part the new snow will start to settle and bond gaining strength. The danger trend may actually be decreasing in most areas. But with windloading and continued warming over the next 24 hours I will be keeping the danger trend the same as well.

Sizes remain small still for the most part but it may be a good day to limit your exposure and avoid the Flume Trail. I would also not recommend stopping or parking along Thane Road.

Be safe out there and enjoy a nice day.

Here is a link to a good quick read about avalanches from the United States Search and Rescue Task Force.

http://www.ussartf.org/avalanches.htm