Exercise extra caution on southerly aspects if the sun comes out! The Solar radiation in March can pack some punch!
A persistent weak layer of surface hoar and/or sun crust sits 60-90cm down, depending on wind loading and aspect. With elevated temps and a new snowload, this layer may be reactive in areas where it has not previously slid.
Storm slabs buried a mix of surfaces; sun crust on steep solar aspects, small surface hoar around Treeline and below, facets and firm wind slab elsewhere. S'ly aspects with sun crusts and low elevation unsupported rolls may be more sensitive.
We are into a cooling/drying trend after our warm wet weather from earlier this week as a High-Pressure system moves over Rogers Pass. On Friday we are expecting a mix of sun and cloud, light NE winds and the FL falling to 1300m. The same conditions are expected over the weekend, but with more sun and less cloud.
Cooling temps Thursday evening will create a crust at lower elevations. Earlier this week at TL we received ~45cm of snow, warm temps, and strong winds creating storm slabs. The new snow overlies the Feb 26th interface which consists of surface hoar, crusts, facets, and hard wind slabs depending on aspect elevation, incline, and terrain feature.
HWY corridor: Avalanche control on Tuesday evening produced numerous avalanches to size 3.5. We also obs several natural avalanches to size 2 in the last 48 hours.
From Wednesday in the Backcountry: Multiple reports of human-triggered avalanches to size 2 in the Connaught drainage, and a MIN report of touchy storm slabs on Glacier Crest.
