Small, sensitive soft slabs can be found leeward of exposed ridges. These thin slabs will be most pronounced in the areas that saw more than 4 inches of snowfall overnight. Shooting cracks within the surface snow will be a key indicator that the snow is stiff enough to create reactive slabs.

Today, it will be possible to trigger a soft slab avalanche that fails on a buried persistent weak layer in upper elevation, shallow snowpack areas where wind drifted additional snow into cohesive slabs. Before the storm, facets overlayed with crusts were common up to around ~8500 feet. Damp facets before the storm, followed by warm temperatures, rain, and wet snow, may create unstable conditions in the short term but help strengthen persistent weak layers looking ahead.

Derek's snowpit below

Unseasonably warm temperatures and rain falling on snow below 8000 feet may create loose wet avalanches. While these slides may be small, the heavy, wet debris can be dangerous in tight spots. Avoid terrain traps like road banks, creek beds, and gully walls where this heavy snow can pile up deeply and bury a person.