Huntington Ravine has Considerable and Moderate avalanche danger today. Central and South Gully have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. All other forecast areas in Huntington have Moderate avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible. Unstable slabs are possible in steep terrain. Use caution in steep terrain.

This morning's blanket of light and fluffy snow is a nice surprise for those of us who have been lamenting our recent drought. Though the summit only recorded .5"(1.3cm) of accumulation the lower elevations did a little better and Hermit Lake weighed in with 1.6"(4cm). As all of the forecasts have mentioned in recent days, it's these nickel and dime snow events that really add up. You might think I'm crazy to get fired up over an inch of snow but try and understand my excitement. Hermit Lake has recorded 3.5"(9cm) over the past four days and all of it has been light density. Today's snow had a density of only 4% and you better believe the winds have been busy relocating it to the more sheltered nooks and crannies in both ravines. Blowing snow has been recorded every hour at the summit since Thursday's sunset. Winds were initially out of the NW but have been out of the W & WNW for the past 24 hours with sustained speeds of 50-80mph(81-129kph). With these condiditons we expect to see freshly laid down windslab on a variety of slopes but especially those with E and SE aspects. With this in mind the Lip and Headwall are the areas of most concern in Tucks while South and Central Gullies are the biggest concerns in Huntington. Some areas with a Moderate rating are pushing toward Considerable, namely those that have aspects similar to or approaching those I just mentioned.

Winds are projected to die down as the day progresses and this morning's scattered snow showers should also fizzle out by the noontime. As this occurs, the potential for natural activity will drop off but concern for human triggered avalanches will remain. The newest batch of windslab has been laid down on top of a wide variety of surfaces. Some areas displayed the near bulletproof crust from the January thaw, some had thin windslabs of 1 finger hardness, and some had highly featured windpack conditions such as the top of Odell and Left Gullies. Spatial variability is definitely a factor out there so make sure you're continuously reassessing if you're trying to safely pick your way through avalanche terrain today. The mountain has spent the majority of the last few days hovering right around 0F(-18C) so the layers that have been in place during this time haven't quite had the heat to allow meaningful bonding to occur. Remember to use your safe travel skills today and keep an eye out for anyone who might be above or below you.

We always recommend bringing crampons, an ice axe and having solid self arrest skills if you plan on traveling in steep terrain, including the Lion Head Winter Route. We've had two accidents in the last two days due to sliding falls that went unarrested on the old surface. Heads up! The Sherburne Ski Trail is open with good coverage from top to bottom.