North Columbia

Be aware of snow conditions that change with elevation and from one aspect to another. Thin storm slabs may exist in the alpine while wet or moist snow may become a concern on sunny slopes, and at lower elevations.

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light, northwest. Alpine Temperature near -6. Freezing level 1500 m.MONDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation up to 5 cm. Ridge wind light, southwest. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1500 m.TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light, southwest. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1500 m.

Friday there were reports of several skier triggered (size 1-1.5) avalanches from 15-25 cm deep on north through southeast aspects between 1700-2100 m.Thursday there were reports of small (size 1) natural and skier triggered avalanches in steep, north-facing terrain.Wednesday there was a report of a skier triggered size 1 wind slab on a north aspect at 2000 m.Earlier in the week; a natural avalanche cycle to size 3.5 occurred. These avalanches were primarily wet loose avalanches on sunny aspects; however, some slab releases did step down to deeper weak layers (with 50-70 cm crowns) on west and southerly aspects, as well as skier triggered wind slab avalanches to size 1.5 on northerly aspects in the alpine, and a natural size 3 cornice failure on a northwest aspect in the alpine that triggered the most recent storm snow.

A light dusting of new snow (10-15 cm) now covers a crust on all but high elevation north and east facing slopes where cold, dry snow sits above a well settled snowpack. Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.