Travel cautiously above terrain traps, such as cliffs. Hitting buried obstacles is a real threat during the early-season.
Warming could trigger small wet loose avalanches where snow exists at higher elevations. Travel cautiously around terrain traps, such as above cliffs.
We haven't received any field reports. We suspect that any avalanche activity on Thursday occurred in high alpine terrain where stormy conditions may have triggered small slabs.
Looking forward, the warming trend could increase the likelihood of wet avalanches in the alpine. Resulting avalanches are expected to be small. The greatest threat is an avalanche pushing a rider into a terrain trap, such as off a cliff.
Please consider sharing your observations to the MIN.
Snow depth varies rapidly with elevation. No snow exists below 1000 m. Around 20 to 40 cm of snow exists at treeline. Up to 80 cm may be found in the high alpine.
Friday's warming will moisten the 5 to 15 cm of snow that accumulated over a wet snowpack at treeline elevations. For alpine elevations, the warming will moisten 10 to 20 cm of snow that accumulated on Thursday. Localized deeper deposits may be found in lee terrain features from southeast wind.
Use extreme caution when travelling, as buried obstacles are a real threat.
Thursday Night
1 to 2 mm of early-evening rain then clearing skies. 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Friday
Sunny. 10 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.
Saturday
Cloudy with 5 cm of alpine snow and rain below. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with 1 cm of alpine snow and rain below. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1600 m rising to 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
