A thick crust will provide for easy travel but poor bonding surface for any new snow. Watch for wind slabs under exposed ridges and into the alpine.
Any fresh snow will not bond well to the crust below. Watch for reactive pockets as wind moves flurries into lee features.
Springtime cornices are large and capricious. Give them plenty of space traveling along ridges and avoid lingering below them.
Friday night: Unsettled in the wake of the cold front with isolated flurries, up to 10 cm by morning and falling with moderate southwest winds. Freezing levels falling to valley bottom with a possible inversion.
Saturday: Blustery with alpine flurries, up to 10 cm through the day. Moderate southwest winds. Freezing level rising to 1500 m, alpine high -1 C.
Sunday: Flurries, 5-15 cm. Light westerly winds. Freezing levels around 1300 m, alpine high -3.
Monday: Overnight flurries with up to 15 cm by morning. Light but gusty east wind. Freezing level 1100 m, alpine high -4 C.
A few wet loose avalanches were reported on Thursday from steep, rocky, solar terrain.
Over the past few days ski cutting and explosive control produced storm slab avalanches up to size 1.5 in the alpine and treeline. Several size 1.5 natural storm slab and dry loose avalanches were also observed.
As temperatures drop, a new crust will form on all aspects and elevations. Any new flurries will not bond well to the crust and wind may quickly redistribute snow to lee features.
Multiple crust exist in the upper snowpack. The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well bonded.
