Assess for slab properties in the new snow as you move through terrain.
Where the new snow feels stiff storm slabs are possible.
Storm slabs will likely be most reactive where they overlie surface hoar or a crust.
Where new snow hasn't formed a slab dry loose avalanches are possible.
Only small skier triggered dry loose avalanches were reported on Wednesday.
10 to 20 cm of new snow may have been redistributed by southerly wind. This new snow overlies a crust except on northerly aspects at upper elevation where surface hoar will likely be found. The snow surface will become moist at lower elevations.
A crust formed in mid March is down 20 to 50 cm. On north facing terrain this crust extends up to 1900 to 2200 m. Surface hoar may be found at this interface where a crust is not present.
A widespread crust with facets above is buried 80 to 180 cm deep. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the places where it may still be possible to trigger this layer.
The snowpack has been melting out at low elevations. Check out this MIN.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 10 to 20 km/h south alpine wind. Treeline temperature -4°C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow. 5 to 15 km/h southwest alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1900 m.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud with trace amounts of new snow. 5 to 10 km/h west alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h north alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 2100 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
