Remain cautious in wind-affected terrain at upper elevations.
Wind slabs have been reactive in the region.
Recent snow and strong winds have built wind slabs at upper elevations. Slabs may be more reactive where a buried surface hoar layer is present.
On Saturday, a large wind slab—possibly triggered by a cornice fall—was reported near Gladstone Mountain in the southern part of the region.
On Friday, explosive control triggered a size 2 wind slab out of a lee crossloaded slope in the alpine.
Looking forward, wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggering on Sunday.
Strong winds have developed wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded features at upper elevations. In parts of the region, a weak surface hoar layer may be buried around 40 cm down.
The mid-snowpack is well consolidated, with a thick melt-freeze crust present at treeline and below, but generally absent in the alpine.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, a crust with facets is considered unlikely to trigger, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C with a possible temperature inversion. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rising to 1700 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level around 2000 m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 2 mm of rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level rising to 2700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
