⚠️ Avoid all avalanche terrain ⚠️Elevated temperatures in the alpine and solar input will result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle.
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Cornices will weaken with prolonged warm temperatures at higher elevations. Cornice failure could trigger avalanches that have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers creating very large avalanches.
Two reactive layers exist in the upper snowpack. One is down 40 cm and the deeper one down 70 to 130 cm. We expect to see a widespread avalanche cycle on these layers with intense warming through the weekend.
Warming and periods of sun will produce widespread wet loose avalanches, especially on steep sun-exposed slopes. These may step-down and trigger deeper slab avalanches.
On Thursday, numerous natural avalanches were reported up to size 3.5. Many of these were likely triggered by daytime warming. Most of the avalanches initiated between 2000 and 2600 m.
We expect to see a widespread natural avalanche cycle over the next few days. Avoid avalanche terrain and exposure from overhead hazards (open slopes, cornices) as avalanches could run full path.
Moist snow surfaces will extend into the alpine (except for high north-facing slopes) with rising freezing levels, especially on sun-exposed slopes.
Warm surface temperatures are causing 40 to 80 cm of recent storm snow to settle quickly. The storm snow sits on sun crusts and wind-affected snow from previous strong southwest winds.
Two layers of surface hoar and sun crust can be found in the top meter of the snowpack. One from late February and the other from early March.
A thick and hard widespread crust that formed in early February is buried about 70 to 130 cm deep. This crust has a layer of facets above it in many areas.
The snowpack below this crust is generally not concerning except in shallow alpine terrain.
Friday Night
Mostly clear skies. 10 to 25 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures are a high of +2°C. Freezing level rises to 2800 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 10 to 25 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Alpine temperature high near +5°C. Freezing level rising to 3200 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperature high near +3°C. Freezing level around 3000 m.
Monday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperature high near +1°C. Freezing level around 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
