Avoid avalanche terrain. Solar input and rapidly rising freezing levels will likely result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle.
Check out our latest blog about the forecasted warming.
North facing terrain at upper elevations may continue to have reactive wind slabs. These avalanches have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers.
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.
Yet again, Wednesday showed a widespread natural avalanche cycle up to size 3 and explosive controlled avalanches up to size 3. Most of the avalanches were seen on north-facing aspects from 2100 to 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.
Recent storm snow totals near 40 to 80 cm across the region. The new 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.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with some clear periods. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures near -2°C. Freezing levels at valley bottom.
Friday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures are a high of +2°C. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.
Saturday
Sunny. Mostly light winds but in places gusty to 40 km/h from the northwest at ridgetop. Alpine temperatures high near +5°C. Freezing level rising to 3000 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures low of +1°C and a high of +6°C. Freezing level rising 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
