Stick to conservative terrain. Ongoing snowfall and stormy weather continue to produce reactive storm slabs.
Ongoing flurries and wind will continue producing reactive slabs. The added load may trigger slabs on the Christmas crust, especially on wind-loaded slopes at treeline and above.
Widespread natural and human triggered size 1.5 to 2 storm slab avalanches were reported across the region on Monday.
Roughly 10 to 15 cm of new snow has been redistributed by moderate southwest winds in open terrain at upper elevations. This overlies, up to 40 cm of recent snow that buried surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain and a sun crust on south-facing slopes at treeline and above. At lower elevations, a crust covers surfaces.
Below recent storm snow, another 20-50 cm of settled snow covers the December 24 melt-freeze crust that is thin or absent in alpine terrain but thicker and more widespread at treeline and below.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-bonded and consolidated, with multiple crust layers present.
Tuesday Night
Cloudy. 4 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
