Watch for sluffing of the recent storm snow in steep terrain.
The Feb 3 crust/facet interface is down 50-100 cm. Cooler temps have lessened the likelihood of triggering this layer but concern for this layer still exist on higher elevation polar aspects.
20-30 cm of low density storm snow (at upper elevations) is sluffing easily out of steep terrain.
During the warm snap, many avalanches released on the ground, most commonly in thin, steep, rocky terrain in the alpine. Current cooler temperatures have reduced the likelihood of triggering this problem, but the weak snow at the base of the snowpack remains a concern.
Loose dry avalanches reported out of steep terrain running on the March 20 temperature crust. Sunshine reported one small slab avalanche that propagated in the new snow.
10 to 20 storm snow at treeline (more at higher elevations) sits over the March 20 temperature crusts on all aspects to 2100 m, and to ridge tops on solar aspects. There is little wind effect in storm snow however the new snow is is sluffing easily out of steep terrain. The Feb 3rd crust layer exists down ~ 50 -100 cm and the basal facets persist in thin snowpack areas. Total snowpack depths range from 90-170 cm at treeline.
Continued scattered flurries on Thursday night and Friday with total accumulations by end of day on Friday between 5-10 cm. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds forecasted for Friday. Freezing levels at Valley Bottom.
Click here for more weather info.
