Continue to choose mellow terrain and avoid areas where snow feels stiff or slabby. The recent snow will take time to bond.
Check out the Forecaster Blog "Keeping a Conservative Mindset"
Moderate winds forecasted for Friday may be forming fresh, reactive wind slabs. The wind direction may vary greatly across the region, so verify conditions in your area.
Human triggered avalanches are likely anywhere that a slab has formed above a weak layer of surface hoar, facets, and/or crust buried at the end of January.
On Wednesday and Thursday, a few small (size 1) natural and rider triggered avalanches were reported in the recent storm snow.
Looking forward, a weak layer of loose snow formed during the cold drought period is waiting for the right conditions to wake up. So far the cold weather has kept the surface snow generally loose and low density, but if it starts to get denser with wind loading, sun or warmer temperatures, human triggered avalanches will be likely.
Expect to find 35 to 50 cm of soft snow on the surface, with deeper deposits in wind-loaded areas. Cold temperatures have kept the recent storm snow loose and low density.
Variable wind speeds and directions through the storm and after mean that the extent of wind-affected snow at different aspects and elevations will vary across the region.
This recent snow has not bonded well to the late January drought layer, which includes melt-freeze crusts on sun-exposed slopes, large surface hoar or facets in sheltered areas, and wind-affected snow in exposed terrain at ridgelines.
The lower snowpack is strong and bonded.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h ridgetop wind. Direction varies greatly across the region. Treeline temperature -17 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h ridgetop wind. Direction varies greatly across the region. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Saturday
Partly cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C. Possible temperature inversion above 1500 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -17 °C. Possible temperature inversion above 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
