Warm temperatures and rain may be overloading buried weak layers. Use extra caution if entering avalanche terrain today.
These slabs will be most reactive at or near ridge crests, especially during periods when snow is being moved by wind onto lee slopes. Wet slabs are possible at treeline elevations and below.
Use caution when encountering moist or wet snow in steep areas or gully features.
Friday: Size 1 and 2 loose wet, and wet slab avalanches were observed in the alpine out of lee features.
Several small (size 1) loose wet avalanches were also observed in the Shames Mountain backcountry.
Thursday: Two small (size 1) natural and rider triggered wet slabs were observed.
10-20 cm of snow has fallen in region over the last week. This snow is likely very dense, settling rapidly, and moist or wet at treeline elevations and below, where some of this snow fell as rain.
A layer of surface hoar and facets has been found around 30-50 cm deep in some parts of the region. Below this sits a 15 cm thick hard crust. There is potential for the accumulated storm snow / rain and warm temperatures to overload these layers triggering large avalanches.
Saturday Night
Cloudy with 2-9 cm of new snow / light to moderate rain, southwest alpine wind 60 km/h, treeline temperature 1°C, freezing level 1600 m
Sunday
Cloudy with 1-6 cm snow / light rain, southerly alpine wind 80 km/h, treeline high of 4 °C, freezing level 1700 m.
Monday
Cloudy with 10-30 cm of new snow / moderate to heavy rain, southerly alpine wind 70 km/h, treeline temperature 5 °C, freezing level between 1700 m.
Tuesday
Cloudy with 5-10 cm snow / light to moderate rain, southwesterly alpine wind 40-50 km/h, treeline temperature 2 °C, freezing level 1500m m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
