Avoid avalanche terrain.
The combination of ongoing snowfall, strong wind, and a persistent weak layer means avalanches are very likely.
A widespread layer of facets sits 70-100 cm deep. this layer was formed during the prolonged cold. It is most likely to be triggered in areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin or by a wind slab avalanche stepping down.
Storm snow and strong wind are forming reactive slabs at all elevations. The largest and most reactive slabs will be found on north facing slopes.
On Wednesday, explosive control in the inland side of the region produced avalanches up to size 3. These avalanches released on a variety of layers including the facets in the lower snowpack. These avalanches entrained significant mass lower in the path.
No recent rider triggered avalanches have been reported.
Another 40 cm of storm snow is expected by Saturday afternoon. Alpine terrain is heavily wind-affected. South facing slopes are scoured and north through east slopes have significant amounts of wind deposited snow.
At treeline a small surface hoar layer can be found down 40 to 70 cm.
The lower snowpack is made up of 60 to 100 cm of weak facets with depth hoar in shallow locations.
Snowpack depths vary widely due to wind, but average around 100 to 220 cm in the alpine across the region.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 15 cm of snow. 40 to 70 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 15 cm of snow. 30 to 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 4 to 10 cm of snow. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
