Evaluate surface conditions throughout the day.
As the surface crust breaks down and snow becomes wet, avalanches become more likely. Brief periods of strong sunshine and rising temperatures can quickly increase danger.
Warm temperatures and sun throughout the day may quickly soften and weaken surface snow.
Pay close attention to how thick and supportive the surface crust is throughout the day. Minimize your exposure to slopes with wet and heavy snow.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with light westerly winds. Freezing levels drop to 1300 m. Flurries possible, up to 3 cm.
THURSDAY: A mix of sun and cloud, light to moderate westerly winds. Isolated flurries continue. Freezing levels peak at 1800 m, alpine highs of 0.
FRIDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with light southwest winds. Freezing levels reach 2000 m. Alpine highs of +2.
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy with light westerly winds. Up to 5 cm of snow possible, with 1800 m freezing levels. Alpine highs of 0.
On Tuesday, natural wet avalanches were reported on steep sun affected slopes to size 1. Wet avalanche activity is expected to decrease as temperatures cool and freezing levels lower this week.
Small pockets of wind slabs sit on east facing slopes in the alpine. The upper snowpack is going through a daily melt-freeze cycle. A crust exists on all aspects to around 2300 m, and into the alpine on solar aspects. Warm temperatures and sun are softening or breaking down the crust during the day and creating moist snow. At very low elevations, the snowpack may be wet and isothermal, depending on overnight freezing levels.
Below 1700 m, the snowpack has been reported as being moist to ground, and becoming isothermal.
