Avalanche danger will increase with heavy snow and strong wind, especially at White Pass.
Watch for changing conditions and avoid exposure to overhead alpine terrain.
Developing storm slabs will become more reactive as the day progresses. Be careful around leeward and cross-loaded terrain features, such as ridge tops, alpine bowls and gullies where rider-trigger avalanches are likely.
Slab reactivity is expected to increase with incoming new snow, wind and rising temperatures.
During the previous south flow, a large natural avalanche was triggered on a steep north aspect Near Fraser Peak. The crown was up to 100 cm thick, and it was likely a large wind slab.
Early season observations are limited. Please post any pictures or information to the MIN.
At lower elevations, a few cm of fresh powder is overlying a thick crust near the surface. The snowpack remains shallow, with open creeks, exposed rocks, and other early-season hazards.
In the alpine, reports suggest that much more snow has accumulated but was redistributed by strong southerly winds. On sheltered and planar slopes, up to 75-100 cm of well-settled snow is topped with 25-30 cm of recent powder. A crust is buried anywhere from 0 to 50 cm, depending on the wind exposure and elevation.
A strong frontal system, sweeping up from the south, will keep pushing moisture with moderate snowfalls until Thursday along with moderate to strong winds.
Monday night
5-10 cm of snow. Moderate southerly alpine winds gusting 50 km/h. Treeline temperature stable near -8 °C.
Tuesday
20-25 cm of snow, with an additional 5-15 cm overnight. Southerly alpine winds increase to 70 km/h. Treeline temperature rising near -2 °C.
Wednesday
5 cm of light snow during the day. Strong southerly winds gusting 60 km/h. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Thursday
Periods of snow up to 2 cm during the day. Moderate southerly winds gusting 50 km/h. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
