On slopes facing the shady half of the compass, it will be likely to trigger large, destructive slab avalanches failing on weak, faceted snow buried 2–4 feet deep. These avalanches could break hundreds of feet wide and propagate well beyond where you trigger them.

Do not let existing tracks give you confidence. Persistent weak layers can allow multiple riders on a slope before one person hits the wrong spot. These are high-consequence bone-breaking avalanches — the kind that catch, carry, and kill humans.

My advice: Live to ride another day and let our snowpack settle out.

Overnight, southerly winds increased and are now blowing at moderate speeds. It’s unclear whether they’re strong enough to form fresh drifts, but this is the mountains — always keep an eye out for active wind drifted snow.

Approach avalanche terrain with caution. Watch for signs of wind-drifted snow such as smooth, rounded pillows, growing cornices, and cracking around your skis, board, or sled.

I’m not completely certain that temperatures and sunshine will be enough to produce wet snow avalanches today. However, the sun angle is high, and mountain temperatures are about 20 degrees warmer this morning compared to this time yesterday.

If you’re traveling in steep, sunlit terrain, keep an eye out for rollerballs and other signs of wet snow instability. Don’t overstay your welcome — when the snow surface becomes damp and sloppy, it’s time to move to cooler aspects or head home.