This is Janet Kellam of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Friday, March 7, 2008 at 7:30 am.

 Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation in partnership with Idaho's
 Snowmobile License Plate Program & the Friends of the Sawtooth
 Avalanche Center bring you this advisory.

 Bottom Line:
 Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be LOW, human triggered
 avalanches are unlikely. Watch for isolated, thin wind slabs in high
 elevation terrain and anticipate shallow, wet sluffing as daytime
 heating softens the snow surface on solar aspects.

 Weekend Outlook: Tonight and Saturday a small disturbance will move
 through our region bringing snow showers to the valley and 1 to 2
 inches of new snow in the mountains. This should not significantly
 change the avalanche danger. Sunday, a clear day is forecast.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:

 
 

 

 

 Very little new snow and multiple freeze thaw cycles on the solar
 aspects have created a stable snowpack on both sunny and shaded slopes.

 This week has been a good time to travel in the high mountains or
 venture into big, steep terrain.

 Ridgeline winds formed shallow wind slabs earlier in the week but
 reports indicate most wind slabs have bonded to the old snow surfaces.

 Very steep, south facing slopes have had some shallow sluffing, both
 natural and human triggered. Since daytime temperatures promise to be a
 bit warmer expect some more loose snow sluffing. It shouldn't get so
 warm that the entire snowpack becomes wet and loose in any sheltered
 hot spots.

 Today will be a good time to get out before a minor storm affects us on
 Saturday. Call in sick. Not only because conditions are excellent and
 today promises to be beautiful, but it is always a good idea to get a
 mental picture of the old snow surfaces and anticipate how well any new
 snow will bond to them.

 Current Conditions:
 Although it has been sunny the past few days, temperatures remained
 cool in the shade. This mornings temperature inversion means warmer
 temperatures up high and conditions softening a bit sooner.

 Our daytime heat has produced a shallow melt freeze cycle and good
 spring conditions on mid to low elevation south facing slopes. North
 facing slopes continue to have remarkably good powder conditions. It is
 possible to have a fantastic powder/corn combo as long as time spent on
 the breakable crusts of east or northwest facing slopes is merely to
 get to the goods. Otherwise, the small amounts of fluffy looking snow
 on these off aspects is just like lipstick on a pig.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 Today promises to be our last continuous day of clear, sunny weather.

 It will be warmer than yesterday. Temperatures are forecast to reach 38
 degrees on Baldy, 31 degrees at 10,000ft and close to 45 degrees on the
 valley floor. Winds will remain light out of the west and northwest.

 Skies should cloud over by tonight bringing a chance of snow showers
 with up to 2 inches of new snow in the mountains by Saturday afternoon
 and some gusty winds. Clearing on Sunday. Unsettled conditions are
 forecast but no real snow accumulation is expected through the first
 half of the week.