Human triggered avalanches are likely.
Storm slabs will be most reactive in exposed, wind effected terrain.
Widespread storm slabs exist throughout the park. Human triggering is likely. This problem will be most reactive in terrain where the wind has formed a slab. These slabs may run farther than expected on a thin crust that formed on Dec 15th.
It has been an active week of natural and artillery controlled avalanches.
A large cycle of natural avalanches occurred on Tuesday night into Wednesday. These avalanches were up to sz 2.5, initiating in the storm snow and running on a crust bed surface.
Avalanche activity continued Thursday and avalanche control Thursday evening is anticipated to produce widespread results in the recent storm snow.
40-60 cm of settling storm snow has been redistributed by strong southerly winds. Beneath this recent storm snow a thin crust in exists up to ~ 2300m. This crust is a solid bed surface for avalanches to run on.
~300 cm of snow has fallen at treeline in December. This has settled to ~120 cm of snow overlying the November rain crust. A spotty layer of surface hoar is just above the Nov Crust and exists at treeline in sheltered areas.
A westerly flow brings continued snowfall Fri - Sun with cooler temperatures.
Tonight Flurries 10-15 cm. Low -11°C. Winds S 15 -gusts to 55km/hr. FZL (freezing level) 1100m.
Fri Snow, 2-4cm. High -11°C. Wind S 15km/hr gusting to 75km/hr. FZL valley bottom.
Sat Flurries, 15-20cm. High -10°C. Wind S 10km/hr gusting to 110km/hr. FZL 600m.
Sun Flurries, 5-10 cm. High -8°C. Wind S light gusting to 45km/hr. FZL 1000m.
