It's spring, and the weather can change rapidly. Weather is the architect of all avalanches, and we need to pay attention to changing conditions as we travel during this time of year. In some ways forecasting in the spring is very difficult because, in a matter of minutes, the avalanche danger and quickly change. Luckily, we can note the weather as we travel, update our personal avalanche forecast, and change/alter our plans accordingly. Below are a few things that can increase the avalanche danger rapidly.

• Winds pick up more than expected, and you notice active drifting (wind transport); this means soft, new wind slabs are forming and could become touchy.
• It starts snowing with high precipitation intensity (heavy snow); this means we can see shallow soft slabs avalanches or loose snow avalanches.
• Sun comes out and heats the snow; wet loose avalanches become an issue.