Good morning. This is Doug Chabot with a very preliminary avalanche advisory for Saturday, December 5. A fully detailed avalanche advisory will be out by 9 a.m.
Last night 6-9 inches of snow fell in our mountains, equaling .6 inches of snow water. Winds are out of the west at 10-20 mph with gusts of 25 mph. This snow fell onto a weak, faceted snowpack and we are concerned about stability, especially on wind-loaded slopes. This is not a large load of snow, but it’s the first time the snowpack is being tested.
Today is a day to be conservative in your backcountry travels. Cracking and collapsing of the snowpack is a sign of instability and a warning to avoid avalanche terrain. Throughout our advisory area we are giving all our mountain ranges an avalanche rating of CONDSIDERABLE danger. We are being cautious in our estimate.
Stay tuned for more information later this morning as we get updated weather and SNOTEL data.