It's pretty lame when you have to worry about getting 2-4" (0.10 - 3.0" water) of new snow on top of our pre-existing snowpack. It goes to show just how weak and poor the overall snowpack structure is. Because of the new snow and strong winds at the upper elevations, it's hard NOT to think that the avalanche danger hasn't increased overnight. However, it's difficult to know exactly how reactive it will be. If you're heading into steep upper elevation terrain that faces NW, N, NE, and east - know that dangerous avalanche conditions could exist. Approach those slopes with caution, and conservative decision-making.

In places where the new snow didn't stack up and in terrain unaffected by the wind, the avalanche danger hasn't changed much. Although, in this terrain, it's still possible to trigger an avalanche, and I would not be surprised to hear of another human-triggered avalanche failing on this buried persistent weak layer. Our best option is to be conservative and continue riding in terrain under 30° degrees in slope steepness.

Strong winds from the past few days have created hard drifts of windblown snow in isolated areas at the mid and upper elevations. Overnight, strong winds and a little bit of new snow will likely have created a fresh batch of small soft slabs across the upper elevation terrain. In either case, the wind has drifted snow, creating shallow soft and hard slabs in steep leeward terrain.

The winds have been primarily from the west/northwest. However, when winds are this strong, they can work through terrain and create drifts on almost any aspect. Fresh wind drifts often look pillowy, smooth, and rounded. Old hard drifts of windblown snow will feel stiff and sound hollow like a drum. As always, keep an eye out for drifts of windblown snow and avoid those areas.