This is Chris Lundy of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 7:30 am.

 The Wattis Dumke Foundation & the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche
 Center bring you this advisory.

 Bottom Line:
Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be MODERATE. With
daytime heating, the avalanche danger on steep south facing slopes will
rise to CONSIDERABLE. As the day warms up, new snow sitting atop
old crusts will likely come unglued. As the snow on solar aspects
becomes gloppy, seek shadier terrain to avoid natural and triggered wet
snow avalanches.

Around 6-10 inches of recent snow sits atop a variety of weak old snow
surfaces including crusts and facets. This newer snow has not been
enough load to cause a widespread stability concern, but it may be
possible to trigger a shallow surface slab on steep slopes.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:


 

 

 

 We have already observed a few wet point releases and sluffs over the
 past few days, and with sunshine and warming temperatures in the
 forecast I would expect wet snow avalanches to become common today on
 solar aspects. When new snow is sitting atop hard crusts, it doesnt
 take much warming to cause the surface snow to become unglued. The
 likelihood of natural and triggered wet slides will increase during the
 heat of the day, so seek shadier slopes when the south-facing snow
 turns to mashed potatoes.

 Secondary Avalanche Concern:


 

 

 

 Around 6-10 inches of recent snow has buried old snow surfaces ranging
 from facets to crusts to old hard wind slab. On Durrance yesterday, I
 found that whether the old surface was a crust or facets or a
 combination of both, it is forming a poor bonding layer beneath the
 newer snow. So far we havent received enough of a load to cause a
 widespread stability problem, and the new snow has remained low density
 and isnt behaving like a slab. On very steep slopes, it may be possible
 to trigger shallow surface slabs where more than about 8 inches of snow
 is sitting atop the old snow surface. Dry snow sluffs may also be
 possible on steep, northerly facing terrain.

 Current Conditions:
 Intermittent snow squalls yesterday brought a trace of new snow to most
 mountain locations, intermixed with periods of warm sunshine and
 stunning light. Winds remained fairly light through the day, but
 increased briefly yesterday evening from the northwest. Mountain
 temperatures reached the mid to upper 20s on Titus and Baldy, and this
 morning temperatures are in the teens at most elevations.

 The recent snow has definitely freshened up the sliding and riding
 conditions. Sheltered north aspects provide the best conditions where
 the surface beneath the new snow consists of soft facets. Other aspects
 are a lot better than they were, but you can still feel old crusts
 underfoot.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 High pressure will dominate our weather today, bringing mostly sunny
 skies and warm temperatures. Mountain temperatures are forecasted to
 reach the low 30s, and a high near 40 degrees is expected in the
 valley. Ridgeline winds should remain fairly light, blowing 5-15 mph
 from a westerly direction. Clouds should increase tonight through
 tomorrow as a minor system passes to our north.