Expect to find stiff wind slabs and treacherous cornices in upper elevation terrain exposed to drifting from the increasing southwest winds. Avoid stiffer wind deposited snow on steep slopes, and watch for potential wind slabs in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, and cliff bands. Wind slabs are drifts that can appear chalky, rounded or bulging, and can sound hollow or drum-like. Be cautious along the ridges, since cornices might break further back than expected and cornice falls could trigger dangerous wind slab avalanches on slopes below.

Loose wet avalanches are likely on sunny slopes and in steep lower elevation terrain, especially if temperatures warm significantly down low due to solar warming or green-housing. Avoid and stay out from under steep slopes with saturated snow, as some natural activity is possible in very steep low elevation terrain Roller balls, pin-wheels, and sluffs are signs that the saturated snow on steep slopes is prone to avalanche.

A new load from recent drifting might reactivate the early January weak layer in some isolated areas. I've been finding very weak January faceted snow in many areas, but my recent tests have shown this layer to be rather non-reactive. There may be some exceptions in drifted terrain, and avalanches might fail 1 to 2 feet deep on weak faceted snow created during the drawn-out January high pressure systems. I'm also keeping a close eye on the small grained facet/rime layer that was on the surface during the cold early February high pressure and is now only shallowly buried by the recent accumulations. Steep, recently drifted, rocky, upper and mid elevation slopes with generally shallow and weak snow cover and recent wind loads are the most suspect today. Although the chances are slim, you might trigger dangerous persistent slab avalanches in some areas remotely, from a distance or worse, from below.