Warm temperatures and sun will weaken the snowpack, making weak layers easier to trigger.
Use extra caution during the warmest parts of the day.
Recent southwesterly winds built wind slabs on leeward northerly and easterly slopes. If triggered, wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
A weak layer of consisting of a crust and/or facets is buried 30 to 60 cm. Recent avalanches on this layer indicate it remains poorly bonded.
Wet loose avalanches will become more likely as daytime warming and sun melt the upper snowpack.
Earlier this week, explosive control in different parts of the region produced several small to large (up to size 2) avalanches in east and southeast facing alpine and treeline terrain. Some were small wind slabs but the larger avalanches failed on a persistent weak layer of facets over a crust up to 60 cm deep.
A surface crust or moist snow may be found at lower elevations and on sun-affected slopes. Otherwise, 30 to 60 cm of accumulated settling storm snow sits over a crust in many areas or surface hoar / facets in some wind-sheltered areas. The highest storm snow amounts fell in southern parts of the region, and the lowest in the north. A weak layer buried in late January consisting of surface hoar and facets or a crust, is buried 50 to 90 cm and remains a lingering concern. Below this, the mid and lower snowpack is generally settled and strong.
Friday Night
Clearing. 5 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2300 m.
Saturday
Mostly clear. 5 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level rises to 2500 m.
Sunday
A mix of sun and cloud. 15 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
