There is uncertainty on how prolonged warming and sun will impact the snowpack on Wednesday.
Don't let good weather lure you into dangerous terrain.
Recent snowfall and extreme southwest wind have built wind slabs. Warm temperatures and sun may increase the reactivity of these wind slabs.
Prolonged warming and sun may continue to produce wet loose avalanches from steep terrain.
On Monday, skiers triggered small (size 1) wind slabs in alpine terrain.
On Tuesday, skiers triggered wet loose avalanches (size 1) from all aspects and elevations. Natural wet loose avalanches up to size 2 were observed from steep alpine terrain.
Looking forward to Wednesday, sun and warm temperatures will increase the likelihood of both natural and human-triggered avalanches.
Rain and warm temperatures have created a wet snow surface to at least 2400 m. Strong southwesterly winds have caused widespread wind effect in open terrain, forming wind slabs, sastrugi, and scouring windward slopes.
In parts of the region, a buried surface hoar layer may exist roughly 40 cm below the surface.
The mid-snowpack is well consolidated, with a thick melt-freeze crust present at treeline and below, but generally absent in the alpine.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, a crust with facets is considered unlikely to trigger, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 mm of rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 3300 m.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 3500 m.
Thursday
Mostly sunny. 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
