The new low-density snow combined with a few days of elevated winds will have created some soft slabs of wind drifted snow at upper elevations, and even some mid-elevation terrain features such as sub-ridges and gullies. These wind slabs will be shallow and overall small in size, but these new wind drifts are sitting atop weak faceted snow or a firm snow surface, which will make them very sensitive and cause them to run far and fast. Even a small avalanche would be enough to knock a person off their feet and through complex terrain. Look for any obvious signs of wind drifted snow, such as hollow sounding or pillow-shaped snow, and avoid those slopes.

Elevated winds can deposit snow on all aspects but give west through north through east extra caution, as triggering an avalanche that initially fails in the wind-drifted snow is most suspect to step down deeper and fail into the weak faceted from January and February.

---

In any wind-sheltered areas, some new soft snow may still be found. In those areas, you may find still find some lingering fast-running sluffs or sensitive storm slabs. Look for signs of new snow instabilities such as cracking, and collapsing.