Surface loose wet snow avalanche activity will continue to occur this spring. Usually this type of instability forms in response to daytime warming. With many previous melt-freeze cycles and rain events having already occurred this past winter and spring, free water drainage from the snowpack is well established. This is expected to keep wet snow avalanche activity limited to human triggered loose wet avalanches rather than wet slab avalanches.

You can use the Snotel and National Weather Service sites to monitor hourly temperatures at many points throughout the forecast area. Cloudy skies overnight and air temperatures above freezing do not allow the snowpack to refreeze very well. When the snowpack does not refreeze overnight, other springtime activities that do not involve snow travel on steep slopes represent more prudent choices. Under clear skies, the top few inches of the snowpack will often refreeze despite near or slightly above freezing air temperatures. This superficial refreeze usually allows for a short period of good travel conditions during the early morning hours before surface wet snow instability becomes a concern. If a solid overnight refreeze occurs, getting out early and finishing in time to have a mid day barbecue should be your goal. Start with east aspects and follow the sun to south, then to west, and finally to north aspects. Get off of your equipment on a regular basis and check boot penetration depth. Boot-top deep wet snow, significant roller ball activity, or any wet snow avalanche results from small test slopes all indicate that wet snow instabilities can occur. Moving to a different aspect with less sun exposure, terrain less than 25 degrees in slope angle without steeper terrain above, or simply heading over to the beach for a picnic all represent great choices at this point. As a matter of etiquette, do not leave deep ruts in a slope that will freeze overnight and ruin the slope for others the next day.

Natural and human triggered wind slab avalanches may occur during and after any late season storms. Expect a period of snowpack instability during the storm itself, then a second cycle of avalanche activity as rapid warming occurs post storm. During the storm, watch for typical signs of mid winter instability such as recent avalanche activity, wind loading, collapse, audible whumpfing sounds, and/or shooting cracks. Post storm, new snow will be very sensitive to rapid warming and direct sunlight. Pay close attention to layer bonding within the new snow and to the old snow surface beneath it. It can lose strength rapidly as the day progresses causing a significant increase in avalanche danger.