New snow is arriving, but it lands on a thin snowpack that barely hides underlying hazards. The new snow on a weak surface will create a new avalanche hazard; however, the biggest risk is still striking hard objects and injuring oneself.
Travel with caution, take a headlamp, and be prepared to deal with any emergency within your group.
Weak, widespread facets, along with surface hoar in sheltered areas, are currently being buried. Reactivity and danger levels will increase with continued snowfall and wind transport, and may bump up an extra step if new snowfall exceeds 30cm.
The snowpack is thin and faceted, with an average depth of 30-40cm below treeline, 60-100cm at treeline, and up to 120cm in the alpine in loaded areas. These values are below threshold for burying hazards, covering creeks, and bridging crevasses. N aspects have been scoured by the cold, outflow winds last week.
Surface hoar (5-30mm) exists up to treeline in shaded/sheltered areas, while in the Alpine it is up to 3mm in sheltered features.
No new avalanches have been observed in the region in the past 3 days, nor have any new MIN reports highlighted avalanches.
A cold front from the Pacific will finally arrive Monday night, bringing snow, milder temps, and moderate SW winds.
Mon night: flurries, 5-10cm, Alp low -6*C, mod SW winds
Tues: flurries, 10-15cm, Alp high -6*C, mod SW winds
Wed: isolated flurries, trace snow, Alp high -7*C, mod SW winds
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
