New snow and wind will create dangerous avalanche conditions.
Avoid avalanche terrain
New snow and strong southwest wind will build reactive storm slabs through the day.
They may be touchy in places as the new snow is falling on a weak layer of facets
A natural avalanche cycle is expected to take place through the day.
Reactive wind slabs were reported around Shames on Thursday. See this MIN post for more details.
Earlier in the week, a size 1.5 wind slab was reported in a cross-loaded feature at upper treeline. Given the cold temperatures, ongoing wind, and limited number of recent field observations, it is best to assume wind slabs may still be lingering in leeward terrain features in wind-affected terrain.
30 to 50 cm of snow is falling throughout the day with strong southwest winds making the surface deep and pillowed. This new snow will be falling on faceted snow from the recent cold and may not bond well.
Last week more than 100 cm of heavy snow fell, which has strengthened the snowpack and reduced the chance of triggering older layers from early December (which include buried surface hoar and crusts).
Snowpack depths exceed 350 cm at treeline.
Saturday Night
Cloudy. 10 to 25 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy. 15 to 35 cm of snow. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Monday
Cloudy. 20 to 55 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Tuesday
Cloudy. 5 to 25 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
