Avalanche danger decreases with colder temperatures.
It remains uncertain how quickly a buried weak layer will recover, especially in areas that don't have a robust surface crust.
Changing winds may have formed wind slabs on all alpine aspects. Watch for stiff, smooth-looking snow and signs of instability such as cracking or whumpfing beneath your feet.
A crust/facet layer 50 to 170 cm deep may be triggered with large loads, like a cornice fall. It's uncertain if this layer is still active but something to watch with rising temperatures this weekend.
No new avalanches reported. We suspect natural avalanche activity occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday due to high freezing levels and rain.
Natural avalanche activity has tapered off for Friday, but depending on how warm it gets this weekend, the hazard may increase.
Switching winds from the northwest combined with light precipitation, may build new wind slabs on leeward slopes in the alpine. At 1600 m and below, a melt-freeze crust will exist with moist snow below. The thickness of this crust may vary with elevation.
A crust from mid December, surrounded by weak facets, is buried 50 to 170 cm deep, and may be capped by the melt-freeze crust.
In thin snowpack areas, faceted grains or depth hoar may exist at the base of the snowpack. Snowpack depths are well above average for this time of year, around 2 m at treeline.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear skies. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Friday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
