Avoid avalanche terrain.A widespread natural avalanche cycle will occur over the next few days.
Check out our latest blog about the forecasted warming.
North facing terrain at upper elevations may have reactive wind slabs. These avalanches have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers.
Cornices will weaken during the warm up and could trigger large avalanches on the slopes below.
A weak layer of facets rests above a hard-melt freeze crust that formed early February. We expect to see a widespread avalanche cycle on this layer with intense warming through the weekend.
Warming and periods of sun will produce widespread wet loose avalanches, especially on steep sun-exposed slopes. These may step-down and trigger deeper slab avalanches.
On Thursday, natural wind slab avalanches were reported up to size 2.5.
On Wednesday, reports across the region noted a few natural persistent and storm slab avalanches up to size 2. These failed between 1600-1800 m wind slabs on north facing slopes.
We expect to see a widespread natural avalanche cycle over the next few days. Avoid avalanche terrain and exposure from overhead hazards (open slopes, cornices) as avalanches could run full path.
10 cm of new snow brings the recent storm snow totals to 40 cm. At treeline and above, the recent storm snow is being redistributed by ongoing winds, leaving widespread wind-affected surfaces in exposed terrain and wind slabs on leeward terrain. Moist snow surfaces will extend into the alpine with rising freezing levels.
A thick and hard widespread crust that formed in early February is buried about 50 to 110 cm deep. This crust has a layer of facets above it in many areas.
The eastern portion of this region is much shallower with a highly variable and wind-affected snowpack.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with some clear periods. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures near -2°C. Freezing levels at valley bottom.
Friday
Mix of sun and cloud. 15 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures are a high of +2°C. Freezing level rising to 2900 m.
Saturday
Sunny. Mostly light winds but in places gusty to 40 km/h from the west at ridgetop. Alpine temperatures high near +8°C. Freezing level rising to 3000 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Alpine temperatures low of +3°C and a high of +8°C. Freezing level rising 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
