Avoid Avalanche Terrain
Ongoing snowfall and strong wind are forming reactive storm slabs over a weak snow pack.
A weak layer of facets and/or surface hoar may rest above a hard-melt freeze crust that formed early February. This layer remains in the depth for human triggering.
New snow and wind will form reactive storm slabs. The largest and most reactive slabs will be found on north and east aspects.
A few natural wind or storm slab avalanches have been reported on Friday morning in the Pine Pass area with the arrival of new snow and strong winds.
As new snow starts to accumulate and the load slowly starts to increase above buried weak layers, we expect persistent slabs to become more reactive.
New snow is being redistributed by strong southwest winds, leaving widespread wind-affected surfaces in exposed terrain. The snow surface will likely become moist at low elevations.
30 to 60 cm below the surface a variety of potential weak layers may exist, including surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain, weak facets, or a hard melt-freeze crust on south and west-facing slopes.
A thick and hard widespread crust that formed in early February is buried about 60 to 90 cm deep. This crust may have a layer of facets above it.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy with up to 10 cm of new snow. 25 to 45 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -4°C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 25 to 45 km/h southwest alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1300 m.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud with up to 5 cm of new snow. 15 to 35 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -1°C.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with around 5 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h south alpine wind. Treeline temperature -1°C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
