23-24

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>We’ve got another mostly sunny and really warm spring day on tap. Intermittent clouds may momentarily hit the pause button on melting, but as soon as the sun comes back out, rapid melting will resume.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Hazards associated with wet melting snow are the number one concern and they could take many forms. Loose wet slides will easily triggered as soon as the surface gets wet more than a few inches deep (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/wet-loose-avalanches-argentina-bo…;). The deeper the wetting gets, the larger these slides could be. After two nights with either a minimal refreeze or none at all - the possibility of bigger, deeper, wider, more unpredictable wet slabs is starting to become a reality. I don’t expect them to be widespread today, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to hear that one broke. Cornices have been breaking off, which are a hazard by themselves (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/cornice-collapse-sphinx"><span><s… photo</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>), but they also make great triggers for slab avalanches (as this photo from </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/24/iceberg-peak-cornice-fall"><span>… Peak</span></span></u></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> demonstrates). Give cornices a wide berth as you’re traveling on ridgelines and minimize your time exposed below them. All of these concerns are greatest during the peak heat of the day, but with a minimal refreeze, warm temps and strong April sun, conditions will likely deteriorate by mid-morning. As soon as you can break through a surface crust into wet snow, or the surface is wet more than 6 inches deep, it’s time to get off steep sunny slopes - whether that means heading home or retreating to shady slopes.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Shady slopes that have stayed dry aren’t entirely immune from avalanche hazard. You may still be able to trigger a wind slab in a wind-loaded pocket or on weak layers in the upper couple feet of the snowpack. A quick snowpit and stability test can help keep you from getting surprised. A falling cornice may even be able to trigger an avalanche on the deeper weak layers which we haven’t seen activity on in weeks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The avalanche danger is MODERATE first thing this morning and will quickly rise to CONSIDERABLE as the day heats up.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>