South Columbia

The forecast snow and wind on Sunday is expected to create fresh storm slabs reactive to human triggers. Use small slopes with low consequence to test the bond of the new snow.

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

SUNDAY: 10-15cm snow / Strong westerly ridgetop winds / Freezing level valley bottom.MONDAY: Cloudy / Strong westerly ridgetop winds / Freezing level valley bottom. TUESDAY: 5-15cm snow / Light variable ridgetop winds / Freezing level valley bottom.

No new avalanches were reported within this region on Friday. Please submit your observations to the Mountain Information Network (MIN).

The 5-15cm of new snow on Friday fell on a wide variety of surfaces including large surface hoar (weak, feather-like crystals), hard crusts formed by sun or wind, and sugary facets. There is not yet significant new snow load or slab properties to create big problems, however, it will be important to monitor how the new snow is bonding to the smorgasbord of surfaces out there. When we receive significant new snow and it settles into a cohesive slab,(perhaps Sunday) you can bet there will be avalanches. I would be most concerned about areas that have surface hoar sitting on top of a hard crust. A major feature in the snowpack is a crust which was formed by rain in late November. It is down approximately 40-80cm at treeline elevations and snowpack tests suggest the snow is currently bonding well to it.Below treeline, the snowpack depth decreases rapidly. Look out for early season hazards such as rocks, stumps, and open creeks.