Travel with an assessment mindset as you investigate the outcome of the storm. Wind-loaded features will be the first to reveal how new snow is bonding to the old surface.
Thursday night's storm should deliver enough snow to form a fairly widespread storm slab problem in steep terrain, although wind loaded areas will certainly be the most prone to triggering.
Rising freezing levels and rain at lower elevations will increasingly promote wet loose activity. This activity will be limited to recent snow accumulations.
No new or even recent avalanches have been reported in the region. Moderate snowfall in Thursday night's forecast finally suggests some change is on the way. The coastal region is in the midst of a natural avalanche cycle while inland snow accumulations have lagged behind.
15 - 20 cm of new snow should accumulate in the region by mid-morning Friday, adding to about 10 cm of recent snow above our drought layer.
In the alpine, this layer consists of heavy wind effect and hard crust. The crust extends as high as 2300 m and is most supportive at mid and higher elevations. Large surface hoar can be found on the crust at treeline and below treeline. Forecast rain and wet loose avalanche conditions may help neutralize the problem at lower elevations.
A layer of facets is buried around 50 to 100 cm deep, for the most part locked under the supportive crust.
The mid and lower snowpack have no layers of concern. Snowpack depths are around 150-200 cm at treeline.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with increasing snowfall bringing 10 to 15 cm of new snow. 20 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind, increasing. Freezing level dipping from 1600 m to 1100 m during the storm.
Friday
Cloudy with easing flurries bringing about 5 cm of new snow, becoming light rain below 1600 m. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature reaching 1 or 2 °C with freezing level rising from 1100 m to 1700 m.
Saturday
A mix of sun and clouds with isolated flurries. 20 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy after overnight flurries bring up to 5 cm of new snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature reaching 0 °C with freezing level to 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
