North Rockies

Use caution as you transfer into wind-affected terrain.

Human-triggered avalanches are possible.

Three natural wind slab avalanches were reported on Wednesday. One large (size 2) and two were triggered by cornice failures. One size 2 and one small (size 1) naturally triggered wind slabs were reported on Tuesday.

30 to 60 cm overlies a hard melt-freeze crust and surface hoar crystals in some wind-sheltered treeline terrain.

Variable winds have created windslabs on all aspects near or just below ridge crests in the alpine and treeline elevations.

A weak layer of surface hoar and/or faceted grains buried mid-February is around 50 to 100 cm deep. This layer seems to be gaining strength.

The lower snowpack is well-settled.

Thursday night

Cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Friday

Cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
• Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.