It has been above freezing temperatures right to mountaintop for several days and nights now. Expect the snowpack to weaken rapidly with daytime warming and any amount of sun. If you are heading out, start your day early and end it early.
Expect loose wet avalanches to run in steep terrain facing the sun with clear skies and a high freezing level forecast for Tuesday. Expect surface crusts to break down quickly with overnight temperatures that have been near zero or above freezing.
MONDAY Night: Clear periods / moderate southwest winds / alpine high temperature 3 C, freezing level 2400 m
TUESDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks / moderate west wind / alpine high temperature 6 C / freezing level 2500 m
WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / light west wind / alpine high temperature 5 / freezing level 2300 m
THURSDAY: Mainly cloudy with sunny breaks / light to moderate southwest wind / alpine high temperature 5 / freezing level 2400 m
No new avalanches have been reported in the region. There have been successive nights without the surface snow refreezing all the way to mountaintop. If the sun comes out for any length of time, expect loose wet avalanche activity to increase rapidly. Please submit your observations to the Mountain Information Network.
In most places rain from Saturday has likely made the surface snow moist or wet except for the highest elevation alpine. If there has been a good overnight freeze, there may be a supportive crust on the surface. The mid and lower snowpack pack are likely a mixture of moist snow and crusts. Below treeline the snowpack has melted or is isothermal.
