Avoid avalanche terrain
A natural avalanche cycle is expected
New snow and wind overnight will have formed new storm and wind slabs. The largest and most reactive will likely be on north and east aspects.
On Wednesday ski cutting produced several size 1 slab avalanches on wind loaded features near ridgetops.
On Monday, a large slab avalanche (size 2.5)was triggered by a giant cornice fall on a north alpine slope on Mount Cain. It was triggered by a person stepping very close to the cornice.
Thanks for sharing your observations via the MIN if you are going out into the backcountry.
60 to 120 cm of new snow may have fallen by Friday Morning, forming touchy storm slabs. This new snow will be accompanied by moderate to strong southwest winds, forming deeper deposits on north and east aspects. On solar aspects and lower elevations a crust will likely be found beneath this storm snow.
A robust crust, formed in early March, can be found in the mid-pack. The snow above is well bonded to this crust.
Below this, the snowpack is well consolidated and strong.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with up to 50 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Friday
Cloudy with up to 15 mm of mixed precipitation. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C.
Saturday
Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. 15 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy with up to 40 mm of rain. 25 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 2300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
