Today...MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS AROUND 46. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 MPH.

Tonight...RAIN LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 1400 FEET.LOWS AROUND 35. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

Saturday...RAIN. SNOW LEVEL 1000 FEET IN THE MORNING. HIGHS AROUND 41. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.

It looks like there is actually going to be some precip for the weekend. The temperatures forecast state snow will be limited to around 1,000 ft above sea level. Yesterday temperatures at the Mt. Roberts weather station fluctuated between 29 and 39 degrees F. The wind switch to a more SE direction, however breezes were still light at less than 10 mph.

This weekend will be when to look for more changes in the avalanche scale. For the weekend it looks like there is almost an inch of water in the mix for us. If all the precip comes as rain we could see the possibility for larger avalanches. Usually rain on snow slides will occur within 30 minutes of it starting to rain, however numerous crust layers mean the water will take longer to percolate through the snow. If we do get some snow there is a good bet it will come in wet enough to bonded fairly well.

Remember this is an urban avalanche advisory. The backcountry is still hazardous in places. Care should be taken when recreating on or under avalanches paths during this time of year.

In the spring time we start to worry a little more about a different type of avalanche. Wet slides occur generally in the spring, however here in Juneau happen whenever it rains or is warm. The dangerous thing about these is not necessarily the larger size but the pushing power of the snow. The top layer of snow entrains other snow as it glides down the mountain. When it stops the snow feels like concrete and can often have earth mixed in with it. Grouse hunters especially be aware as the avalanche paths that guard tree fingers are perfect places for these slides to happen, and often the sun is shining when the hooters are most active. This link from the US Forest Service breaks down wet avalanches nicely.

http://www.fsavalanche.org/encyclopedia/wet_snow_avalanche.htm