Cornices
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Unlikely - Possible
- Tamaño
- 1.5–2.5
Cornices will weaken with daytime warming and solar input.
Avalanche danger rises with sun and warming—start and finish early.
Use extra caution in large alpine terrain; deeply buried weak layers may persist.
Cornices will weaken with daytime warming and solar input.
A layer of weak, faceted snow with a firm crust is buried 100 to 200 cm deep and continues to periodically produce large avalanches. Warming temperatures and solar radiation may increase its reactivity.
Wet loose avalanches are most likely during periods of direct solar radiation and as temperatures rise through the day. In areas lacking a solid overnight freeze, avalanche activity may begin much earlier than expected.
No new avalanches reported.
We suspect the current weather is driving the avalanche danger in the afternoons, producing wet loose avalanches up to size 2.
Large (up to size 3) persistent slab avalanches have been reported periodically over the past couple of weeks, likely during periods of warming, solar radiation, and/or wind loading. The most recent report occurred within the past few days on an east aspect at approximately 1700 m (see photo below for details).
A widespread surface crust is expected to form overnight at treeline and above, with crust thickness and strength varying with the quality of the overnight refreeze. Isolated north-facing areas in high-alpine terrain may still hold pockets of dry, loose surface snow.
Below treeline, a limited or lack of overnight refreeze will result in a moist or isothermal upper snowpack.
A layer of weak, sugary snow over a thick crust is buried 100 to 200 cm and continues to produce large, surprising avalanches.
With daytime warming and sun, the snowpack will weaken throughout the day.
Wednesday Night
Clear skies. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.
Thursday
Sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.