Head out the door with a storm day mindset. New snow will likely be reactive to human triggers, step back into simple terrain as storm slabs build over the day.
Avoid rocky areas where the snowpack varies from thick to thin - the snowpack is weakest here.
Expect new snow to be reactive to human triggers, as snowfall continues over the day.. Watch for deeper deposits and more reactivity around ridgelines and on north and east facing slopes.
Avoid large, steep slopes as well as wind loaded features.
On Thursday several natural and skier triggered slabs were reported throughout the region to size 2.
On Wednesday explosive and skier triggered avalanches released within the storm snow 40 to 70 cm down; they were up to size 2. Limited reports suggest some activity occurred on the deeper persistent layers during the last storm, with observations to size 3.
Please continue to post your reports and photos to the Mountain Information Network.
Snowfall accumulations may reach 15 cm in some areas, with deeper deposits to be found in wind affected terrain features. These storm slabs build over up to 50 cm of settling snow at higher elevations, tapering rapidly with elevation due to the recent warm temperatures.
Below 1600m new snow may fall directly on a thick melt freeze crust which is helping to strengthen the snowpack.
The lower snowpack is still watched by professionals, the late December crust is down 70 to 120 cm. In the alpine it is thin and breakable. Near the base of the snowpack, a weak facet/crust layer from mid-November can be found. Although triggering these layers is unlikely, they remains a concern for large loads (e.g. cornice failure) or in thin spots. In general, the current snowpack is thinner and weaker than typical.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy skies overnight. Freezing levels remain around 800 m. Light to moderate westerly winds. Isolated flurries are possible.
Saturday
Snowfall begins in the morning delivering 10-15 cm over the day favoring coastal terrain. Moderate to strong southwest winds. Freezing levels around 500 m. Alpine high temperatures of -3 °C.
Sunday
Clearing skies with light to moderate northwest winds. Freezing levels around 300 m. Alpine high of -5 °C. No snowfall expected.
Monday
Cloudy with isolated flurries. Moderate to strong northwest winds return. Freezing levels around 200 m, alpine high of -6 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
