The appearance of the strong April sun may initiate a round of loose avalanche activity. Take care to plot a route that keeps you from being on or under steep south facing slopes and watch for isolated pockets of wind slab, especially around ridge crest.
20 to 50+ cm of recent storm snow now rests on a crust. Although the warm to cool temperature trend is helping the snow to settle and bond, human triggered avalanches remain possible this weekend, especially in wind loaded terrain features.
Although temperatures remain seasonally cool, the sun packs a lot of punch this time of year. Take care to avoid being on or underneath south facing slopes that are baking in the sun, especially after lunch.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Trace of snow possible, light north wind, freezing level at valley bottom.
SUNDAY: Broken cloud cover in the morning giving way to just a few clouds in the late afternoon, no significant precipitation expected, light east/northeast wind, freezing level beginning at valley bottom, rising to around 1000 m in the afternoon.
MONDAY: Just a few clouds for most of the day with cloud cover increasing to broken in the late afternoon, potential for some light flurries/rain in the afternoon, moderate south wind, freezing level beginning at valley bottom, rising to around 900 m in the afternoon.
TUESDAY: A few clouds, no significant precipitation expected, strong east/northeast wind, freezing level at valley bottom.
On Friday we received some observations of an avalanche cycle that occrued during the storm which produced avalanches up to size 3. Activity is expected to continue to decrease with the warm to cool temperature trend.
On Thursday, reported avalanche activity included pinwheeling on south facing slopes and some loose dry avalanches in steep terrain. A size 2 skier triggered storm slab at 1300 m was also reported.
On Wednesday, a large (size 2) wind slab released naturally on an east aspect in the alpine. A small (size 1) wind slab avalanche was observed in a cross-loaded feature near ridgetop.
10 to 50 cm of recent storm snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust. (In some of the snowier places in the region, you may find as much as 80 cm over the crust.)
Cornices are very large and exposure to them should be minimized, especially during warm or windy weather.
