Be diligent in making ongoing assessments. This time of year conditions and hazard will vary greatly from one slope to another and can change quickly throughout the day.
If in doubt choose more conservative terrain.
New storm slabs are possible at high elevations where dry winter snow might be found. Watch for this snow sitting on a slippery crust on solar aspects. Assess lee slopes for larger and more reactive slabs.
Warm temperatures, rain and solar input will result in wet loose avalanches. Back off steep slopes if moist snow is observed.
A weak layer of facets exists near the base of the snowpack. Thinner snowpack areas and areas with variable thick and thin coverage at alpine elevations is where this problem is most likely found. April's warming temperatures may gradually increase the sensitivity of this layer, especially in thin snowpack areas.
No new avalanches have been reported in the past few days in the region.
Please help out your fellow backcountry users by filling out a Mountain Information Network report.
In the alpine dry snow can still be found on north facing terrain. In the morning dry snow may be found on south facing terrain but it will quickly become moist when the sun pokes out. At treeline a crust over moist snow will likely be found in the morning but it will quickly break down with day time warming. Below treeline the snowpack is diminishing quickly, moist or wet snow will be found at this elevation.
Several crusts can be found in the upper snowpack on solar aspects and on all aspects at treeline and below. The mid and lower-snowpack is strong. However, the November depth hoar remains at the base of the snowpack and remains a concern in rocky, shallow, variable depth snowpack areas at treeline and above.
Monday Night
Cloudy with a few mm of precipitation expected, rain turning to snow overnight as freezing levels fall to 900 m. Moderate southwest winds.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud with up to 5 cm of new snow expected. Light to moderate westerly winds and freezing level rising to 1900 m.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud with up to 10 mm of precipitation possible, rain at treeline and below with snow in the alpine. Moderate to strong westerly winds and freezing level rising to 1700 m in the north of the region and 2500 m in the south.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud with no new precipitation expected. Moderate to strong westerly winds and freezing level rising to 1800 m in the north of the region and 2500 m in the south.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
