This is Chris Lundy of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 7:30 am.

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

 Special Announcement:
 We continue to have computer problems preventing us from recording the
 online audio version of the advisory. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 Bottom Line:
 Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be LOW. The danger of
 wet snow avalanches on steep, southerly aspects will increase to
 MODERATE with daytime heating.

 The snowpack throughout our region is generally stable, and the primary
 concern continues to be small wet snow sluffs as the snow surface
 becomes mushy.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:

 
 

 

 

 Very little is going on in our snowpack with stable conditions
 prevailing. Dont pull out the road bike just yet. You know all those
 lines youve eyed but have always been too scared to ski or ride because
 of the avalanche conditions? Go do them!

 The main stability concern continues to be smaller wet snow avalanches
 resulting from daytime warming. Upper elevations probably received a
 less solid re-freeze overnight than the past few days, and some cloud
 cover today will make the thaw less predictable. If the surface mush
 gets deeper than 6-8 inches or you start breaking through the surface
 crust, its time to head to a cooler aspect.

 Current Conditions:
 Less clouds than forecast yesterday meant warmer temperatures,
 especially up high. Upper and Lower Titus stations were both in the
 40s, while the high on Baldy was 37 degrees. Upper elevation winds
 remained light, but have begun to increase slightly this morning, and
 are currently blowing at 5-15 mph from the west-southwest.

 All weather stations are showing temperatures below freezing, but
 temperatures are inverted and at upper elevations its currently in the
 upper 20s to 30 degrees. Warmer temperatures combined with a bit of
 cloud cover means we likely received a weaker re-freeze up high
 compared to the last few days.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 A low pressure system passing to our north will bring some clouds this
 morning, but these are forecasted to dissipate through the day.

 Temperatures should be a bit cooler than yesterday with mountain highs
 ranging from about 29 degrees at 10,000 feet to around 35 degrees at
 9000 feet. A high of 38 degrees is expected on the valley floor.

 Ridgeline winds should average 10-20 mph from the west.

 The best chance for snow appears to be Thursday into Friday, so dont
 give up hope just yet.