Cooler temperatures and overcast sky's are forecast for Tuesday, but pay attention to solar radiation. If the sun comes out, conditions could deteriorate quickly on solar aspects.
Below the recent snow, a 90-150 cm slab sits on the weak Jan 30 facet layer. On all but high north aspects, recent sun crusts and the March 27 rain crust cap this slab, providing some security. Continue to use caution in thinner, high areas or when these crusts are weak or breaking down with daytime heat.
No avalanches were observed or reported on Monday.
Light wind effect in the alpine. On alpine north aspects 15-30 cm of dry settled snow sits over the Mar 27 crust that exists to ~2500 m. On solar aspects sun crusts are present to ridgetop with moist snow later in the day. A supportive surface crust exists in most places below treeline.
70-130 cm of firm snow sits over the Jan facet layer which remains a concern in thin areas. In deeper areas the lower snowpack is well consolidated. Treeline snowpack depths range from 150 to 250 cm.
A slight cooling trend will bring temperatures back to seasonal norms, with valley highs just above 0°C and ridgetop temps near -10°C. Model guidance suggests up to 7 cm of snow overnight Tuesday, though totals may vary. Winds will be variable in direction, with potential for strong gusts.
