We will be saying "adios" to the unseasonably warm temperatures as a cold front shoos them out of our area today. Hermit Lake didn't manage to sneak below the freezing mark in the past 24 hours. These warm temperatures helped settle the newest slabs in Tuckerman, however, you should still be wary of isolated pockets of deeper slabs that still have some elastic energy. We found these in the Bowl and extending over to the Sluice yesterday. The other stability factor to be thinking about today is related to new snow coming in this afternoon. The Summit could pick up 2 to 4" (5 to 10 cm) of snow this afternoon and it will be accompanied by steadily increasing winds that are expected to reach 90 to 100 mph (144 to 160 kph) late in the day. As they consistently rise in velocity they will be loading any new snow into the Ravines creating new slabs. We may have a number of areas enter the Moderate rating later in the day. This weather forecast should also be a heads up for anyone venturing above treeline today. Currently it is 41 F (5 C) at Hermit Lake and intermittent rain showers are expected this morning. Those conditions should make you nice and wet from sweat and rain as you ascend the mountain. If your timing is good then you'll be down before the big weather shift. If it is bad you will see all that moisture on your gear freeze as temperatures tumble well below freezing and you'll be getting tossed around by winds that are creeping up toward 100 mph. Yikes! Pair this with water ice as a dominant surface condition and you have yourself an adventure threatening to become an epic. Think about your timing today and be ready to change your plans if you aren't prepared to deal with these conditions. Crampons, an ice axe and solid technique are a must in most areas on the upper part of the mountain today. Our snowpack is better described as an "icepack" and self-arrest would be very difficult to execute successfully.

THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Mountaineering skills and equipment are required for safe travel on this route.

The Sherburne Ski Trail is open with very thin cover and varying conditions. Expect bare ground, water ice, deep waterbars and hidden water channels that can grab a ski tip very quickly.

This Advisory is one tool to help you make your own decisions in avalanche terrain. It should be used along with safe travel techniques, snow stability assessments, an understanding of weather's effect on the snowpack, and proficiency in avalanche rescue. Anticipate changing avalanche danger when actual weather for the Advisory period differs from the NWS forecast and realize changing conditions and local variations may occur. Keep in mind that it’s impossible to accurately predict natural events, such as avalanches, in every instance.