7am update: Very dangerous avalanche conditions persist in the wake of the storm. Stick to conservative terrain while the snowpack adjusts to the new load.
Multiple weak layers are present between roughly 80 and 180 cm deep. Triggering any of these layers would likely produce large, destructive avalanches.
Recent snow is most likely to form reactive slabs where it has been wind affected at upper elevations.
Widespread avalanche activity up to size 4 has been reported at all elevations over the past week. Avalanches have been triggered naturally, by riders, vehicles, and aircraft, many triggered remotely from a distance away. They have run on various buried weak layers detailed in the snowpack summary.
Large, destructive avalanche activity can be expected to continue as the new snow load further stresses these layers.
40 to 60 cm of new snow is likely wind affected at upper elevations. Below 1800 m, expect wet or crusty surfaces.
Three problematic layers persist in the mid-snowpack.
One or two surface hoar layers buried in February (depending on location) are found roughly 60 to 120 cm below the surface, and in some areas these sit on a thin crust.
A deeper, widespread layer buried in late January, made up of surface hoar, facets, and/or a crust, is roughly 100 to 180 cm deep. Surface hoar within this layer is most preserved and largest in sheltered terrain at treeline and below.
Saturday Night
Cloudy. 20 to 30 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level dropping 1800 m to valley bottom.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
