While lower elevations remain mostly bare, accumulating snow in the alpine may be creating deeper pockets that could produce early-season avalanches.
Recent snow and wind loading may have created reactive storm slabs at higher elevations. Sunny conditions and warming temperatures on Friday may increase the likelihood of triggering an avalanche.
No avalanches have been reported. However, field observations are extremely limited in the early season.
If you're heading out into the backcountry, please consider sharing your observations on the MIN.
At upper elevations, 5 to 15 cm of recent snow is being redistributed by light to moderate easterly winds.
We suspect there is up to 80 cm of snow in some alpine terrain.
At higher elevations, a thick crust likely exists just beneath the new snow or at the surface in areas that received less recent snow.
Snow depth tapers rapidly with elevation.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow at treeline. 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Saturday
Partly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow at treeline. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Sunday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
