Wind loaded areas will be the first to reveal how new snow is bonding to the variety of pre-storm surfaces. Use small features to investigate conditions and calibrate your exposure.
As new snow accumulates, reactive deposits will first form around ridgelines and in wind-loaded areas. Surface hoar at lower elevations may cause surprising reactivity.
No new avalanches have been reported in the region, but we should see an uptick in avalanche conditions with forecast snowfall and wind.
On January 21 there was a report of a skier triggering a persistent slab avalanche when transitioning into wind affected terrain. A firm wind slab stepped down 70 cm to the early January weak layer below. Concern for this layer has been steadily diminishing. A small percentage of operators in the region still consider it unlikely to trigger.
Up to about 15 cm of new snow (including Monday) should accumulate by end-of-day Tuesday under strong to extreme winds. This buries heavily wind-affected and crusty surfaces almost everywhere
Below 1000 m there is large surface hoar on this crust that will promote slab reactivity.
The mid and lower snowpack is well settled with no current layers of concern. Treeline snow depths throughout the region range from 150 cm to 250 cm.
Monday Night
Cloudy with easing flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow, mainly in the north. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow, mainly in the north. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries and minimal accumulation. Ridgetop wind increasing to 60 km/h south. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Thursday
Cloudy with flurries bringing 5 to 10 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
