Human triggering remains a concern with buried persistent weak layers. Minimize your exposure with smaller slopes and low-angle terrain.
Avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks in the alpine and treeline where triggering a persistent weak layer is more likely. Watch for rising temperatures, this problem will become more likely as the snowpack warms and loses strength.
There have been no new avalanches reported in the last couple days.
A week ago (Sat Mar 23), three very large (size 3) persistent slab avalanches were reported, occurring on southerly alpine slopes and likely triggered by warming.
A thick widespread crust caps the snowpack in most areas. At lower elevations and on steep sunny slopes, the crust may soften with warming during the day or the snowpack may become isothermal.
Dry powder snow still exists on high north-facing alpine slopes and a weak layer of surface hoar may be growing in sheltered terrain at treeline and above.
Various weak layers, including crusts, facets, and/or surface hoar exist approximately 40 to 80 cm deep. An additional crust and facet layer may be found 100 to 150+ cm below the surface. Lingering concern remains for human-triggering on these persistent weak layers.
Friday Night
Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace accumulation. West ridgetop wind gusting to 50 km/h. Treeline temperature low -7 °C. Freezing level dropping to valley bottom.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. Northwest ridgetop wind, 30-45 km/h. Treeline temperature high -1 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with isolated wet flurries, trace to 5 cm. Southwest ridgetop wind gusting to 55 km/h. Treeline temperature high 0 °C. Freezing level rising to 1400 m.
Monday
Flurries, 5-10 cm. Southwest ridgetop wind 30-50 km/h. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level rising above 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
