Continue to avoid avalanche terrain.
Natural avalanches may still occur, especially in coastal regions.
Larger more sensitive slabs exist in wind-loaded areas. Storm snow is resting on surface hoar and a crust, increasing reactivity.
Use caution on steep features where snow has been rain soaked. As temperatures drop, wet avalanches become less likely.
A widespread natural avalanche cycle continues throughout all elevations and aspects as the storm persists. Activity includes failures in recent storm snow as well as on deeper weak layers such as the early January surface hoar and the late December crust.
Recent storm totals vary from 130-250 cm throughout the region, heavily redistributed by strong southerly winds at upper elevations and settling rapidly from warm temperatures.
At treeline, surface snow has likely been affected by rain and warm temperatures. As freezing levels drop, new snow may fall over moist/wet surfaces. Below treeline, the snowpack is mostly saturated to ground.
A layer of large surface hoar is buried 90 to 150 cm in sheltered treeline features. The mid and lower snowpack is well settled with no current layers of concern. Treeline snow depths throughout the region range from 250 cm to 450 cm.
Tuesday Night
Cloudy. 20 to 50 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60-80 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 10 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.
Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds. Possible flurries. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 700 m.
Friday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
