Mushy snow remains down low, up high it will be crusty.
Avalanche debris and a developing melt-freeze will make travel tricky, trust me.
At lower elevations where the snowpack may remain saturated from rain and warm temperatures, wet loose avalanches may continue to occur and could entrain significant mass, resulting in large avalanches.
Basal facets remain a concern in steep, rocky alpine features with thin-to-thick snowpack transitions. Avalanches triggered on this layer have been large and destructive.
The natural avalanche cycle observed on the weekend and earlier in the week due to the warming event has begun to taper with cooling temperatures. Numerous size 2-4 wet slab, persistent slab, and wet loose avalanches were seen from all aspects and elevations.
Moist or crusty snow surfaces exist from recent rain and warm temperatures. In the alpine, less than 5 cm of dry snow may overlies a crust. At lower elevations the snowpack is isothermal.
The stress of the new load (warm, wet upper snowpack) has produced avalanches failing down to the early and mid-January crust/facet layer (30-80 cm down) and the early December rain crust/ facet layer (100+ cm down) This activity is expected to taper with cooling temperatures.
The lower snowpack is characterized by weak basal facets in many areas.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with light rain or snow, up to 5 mm. Alpine wind south 30 to 60 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C, freezing level 1800 m.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow, less than 5 mm. Alpine wind southwest 10 to 20 km/h. Treeline temperature -1 °C, freezing level 1700 m.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Alpine wind northwest 10 to 30 km/h. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Sunday
A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine wind northeast 15 to 30 km/h. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
