Warm temperatures and rain are destabilizing the snowpack.
Stick to terrain without exposure to overhead hazard during this period of warm, wet weather.
Southerly winds have formed wind slabs on lee alpine slopes. These slabs may be more reactive when snow switches to rain, or in areas where they overlie surface hoar.
High freezing levels and rain are destabilizing the snowpack. expect wet loose avalanches on all aspects and elevations.
Numerous size 1.5 wet loose avalanches were reported in the alpine at the Onion riding area on Wednesday.
Observations are still limited, so be sure to post yours to the MIN if you get out!
Rain to at least 1700 m has saturated the snowpack and moistened the snow surface.
In the alpine, wind slabs overlie a hard crust that extends up to 2300 m. Surface hoar can be found on this crust in some locations at treeline and below. Recent rain likely neutralized the surface hoar problem at lower elevations.
A second layer of facets or surface hoar is buried around 50 to 100 cm deep, and is considered unlikely to trigger at this point.
The mid and lower snowpack have no layers of concern. Snowpack depths are around 150-200 cm at treeline.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 mm of rain at treeline. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Thursday
Cloudy. 4 to 5 mm of rain at treeline. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 2 mm of rain at treeline. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
