Glacier

New snow is slowly piling up on a dangerous combination of weak surface hoar, facets and a crust.

Approach all avalanche terrain with cation, triggering avalanches is likely.

Moderate

• We are uncertain due to how buried persistent weak layers will react with the forecast weather.
• We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.

A field team was easily able to ski cut size 1-1.5 slabs, about 15cm deep, on the SW aspect of Glacier Crest on Friday.

Surface sluffing, large enough to bump a person from their feet, was observed and reported in steep, N-facing terrain mid-week.

Wind and warm temps are stiffening up the new snow (15-25cm and counting). This is accumulating over a troubling combination of surface hoar or facets on a crust. The surface hoar is on most aspects and elevations, and is largest (up to 40mm) in sheltered areas below treeline. The crust is firmer on solar aspects, and had been weakening/faceting on polar aspects.

The mid and lower snowpacks are generally well settled and strong.

Ongoing snow flurries are forecast into next week.

Tonight: Snow (~10cm). Alpine low -5 °C. Freezing level (FZL) 1500m. Moderate SW ridgetop winds.

Saturday: Isolated flurries. Alpine high -3 °C. FZL 1600m. Light SW wind.

Sun: Snow (10-15cm). Low -4 °C, High -2 °C. FZL 1700m. Gusty strong SW wind.

Mon: Flurries (5cm). Low -6 °C, High -5 °C. FZL 1500m. Moderate SW wind.

• It's a good day to make conservative terrain choices.
• Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
• Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.