Until cooler weather locks in the snowpack avalanche danger remains elevated, and poor riding quality will persist.
Human triggered avalanches are possible.
Wet slab and wet loose avalanches are likely when the upper snowpack is saturated from rain and elevated freezing levels. They may be stepping down to buried weak layers in the mid and lower snowpack resulting in large avalanches.
Natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches continue on all aspects and elevations up to size 1.5 on Tuesday. Several explosive-triggered wet slabs were reported up to size 1 from below treeline elevations.
Wet snow exists in the upper snowpack to the mountain top. The snowpack has been trending isothermal below treeline.
A layer of facets formed during the mid January cold snap sits 30-50 cm deep. Another weak layer consisting of a crust and facets is down 50 to 100 cm.
Basal facets exist at the base of the snowpack. Snowpack depths at treeline average 100-140 cm.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy, isolated rain showers, treeline temperatures near 5°C, south alpine wind 20 gusting to 65 km/h, freezing level around 2200 m.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy, light rain, southwest alpine wind 20 to 35 km/h, freezing level around 2000 m.
Friday
Cloudy with wet snow 5-10 cm, treeline temperatures near 0°C, southerly alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, freezing levels near 1900 m.
Saturday
Mix of sun and cloud, treeline temperatures near -1°C, southwest alpine wind 10 to 25 km/h, freezing levels 1400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
