24-25

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Strong winds from the south will whip around the new snow forming fresh </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>WIND SLABS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> that will be easy to trigger. They will start small and easily become a foot deep by midday near ridgelines exposed to the wind.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The new snow will be mostly</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#right-side-up-storm"><spa…; right-side up</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> but periods of heavier snowfall may create subtle layers in the new snow causing soft </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>STORM SLAB AVALANCHES</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> on slopes sheltered from the wind. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><u><span><span>Clues</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> that storm slabs are becoming a problem include: snow amounts approaching a foot, heavy snowfall rates, and cracking in the new snow.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Near West Yellowstone</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> a weak layer of facets buried 2-3 ft deep has been dormant. These probably won’t be an issue today, but could wake up in coming days and cause persistent slab avalanches as new snow stacks up. The last of these slides occurred about two weeks ago.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today with wind and periods of heavy snow the danger will be rising to CONSIDERABLE on wind loaded slopes. The danger on non-wind loaded slopes will rise to MODERATE.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In areas closer to Big Sky, snow has already started, and strong south winds will be forming shallow </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>wind slabs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. In areas further north, not much snow may fall until after winds start dying down and there will be minimal wind slab formation.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today the avalanche danger is MODERATE. Look for and avoid fresh wind slabs and drifts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It’s getting harder to find soft snow as a result of warm temperatures and very strong winds. It’s also unlikely to trigger an avalanche. While skiing in the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34568"><span><span><span><span><span><… yesterday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, my partner and I found very hard drifts and wind slabs that seemed welded into place. However, we skied around them because I don’t like messing with avalanches.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind slabs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> will be the main thing to steer clear of today. Despite recent very strong winds, they have moved minimal snow as Ian found in the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/34571"><span><span><span><span><span><… Bridgers yesterday</span></span></u></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Seek out soft snow on shady slopes untouched by wind for the safest and best riding conditions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Near West Yellowstone, a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>persistent slab </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>avalanche problem is mostly dormant. However the weak layer of facets 2-3 feet deep may start to wake up sometime in the near future if enough snow piles up.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Today the avalanche danger is LOW.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>