Avalanche danger will increase as temperatures rise throughout the day. There is uncertainty around how the snowpack will handle this warm-up.
Choose increasingly conservative terrain as temperatures rise.
Recent snowfall and westerly winds are expected to have formed wind slabs on lee features in the alpine. Watch for areas where recent slabs are overlying a sun crust that can act as a perfect bed surface.
Cornices have grown significantly in the past two weeks. Give them a wide berth when travelling on ridge-lines and minimize overhead exposure to large cornices.
Cornices have grown significantly in the past two weeks. Warm temperatures may make cause cornices to become weak. Cornice failures are dangerous on their own, but also have the potential to trigger larger avalanches on the slopes below.
Give them a wide berth when travelling on ridge-lines and minimize overhead exposure to large cornices.
If the sun comes out on Tuesday, warm temperatures compounded by strong solar radiation may cause rapid destabilization in the upper snowpack, creating wet loose avalanches out of steep terrain.
MONDAY NIGHT: Partially cloudy. Light westerly winds. Freezing level around 1000 m.
TUESDAY: Mainly cloudy. Light westerly winds. Freezing level rising to 2500 m and staying elevated overnight.
WEDNESDAY: Mainly cloudy. Moderate to strong westerly winds. Freezing level around 2500 m.
THURSDAY: Cloud cover decreases throughout the day. Light westerly winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
A few natural cornice failures (size 1-2) have been observed, with one initiating a slab avalanche on the slope below. Several small wet loose avalanches have been observed on south-facing aspects from solar radiation and daytime warming.
10-15 cm of recent snowfall overlies 20 to 40 cm of heavy powder at upper elevations, while warm temperatures have left moist and crusty surfaces below 1800 m on all aspects and into the alpine on south-facing aspects. The upper snowpack contains several crust layers, and the snow is well bonded to these crusts.
