Storm snow is forming slabs on underlying soft snow, take extra care around ridgelines where the wind may have formed deeper pockets of snow.
Warming temperatures combined with new snow have increased the slab properties in the snowpack. Expect deeper deposits in lee areas.
Back off of slopes as temperatures rise and snow surface becomes wet. Watch for signs of warming such as snow shedding off trees and pinwheeling off of steep slopes.
At the time of publishing, no new avalanches were reported in the past 7 days.
An average of 20 cm of generally upside-down storm snow has fallen with variable wind, potentially forming wind slab on all aspects. In sheltered terrain this new snow may overlie soft, faceted snow or surface hoar. In exposed terrain it may have been blown down to the underlying crust.
In the Manning park area there has been less snow and significantly less wind.
At lower elevations a new crust is on or near the surface, and the new snow is wet and heavy.
A crust from December is buried 80 to 140 cm deep, with facets around it in shallow snowpack areas. Otherwise, the lower snowpack is strong and bonded.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1200 m.
Friday
Mainly cloudy with up to 10 mm of mixed precipitation. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.
Saturday
Mainly cloudy with 5 mm of mixed precipitation. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with 5 to 25 mm of mixed precipitation. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 2000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
