Although we’ve entered spring, we still have a winter snowpack with a weak basal structure. The only way to reduce risk when dealing with the basal weak layer is avoidance.
Surface instabilities remain a concern in the high alpine. This problem presents itself as a surface slab and is primarily a concern where it overlays a crust or in steep loaded lee terrain.
The weak basal facets and mid-pack facets/crusts remain a concern, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
A few small natural loose dry avalanches were noted along the highway corridor Friday. No new slab avalanches were observed or reported today.
A new surface crust has formed on solar aspects to ridge crest. On northerly aspects, up to 40cm of recent storm snow remains preserved. Multiple buried crusts are present in the mid-pack on solar aspects. The basal snowpack remains weak with facets and depth hoar.
A trough of low pressure will form over the forecast region bringing cloud cover and light precip. A mix of snow and rain will fall at the valley bottom as freezing levels climb to 2200 through the day. Minimal accumulation is expected over higher terrain. Winds will remain in the light to moderate range in the alpine.
