Increasing alpine temperatures and sunshine will make avalanche triggering possible on south aspect terrain.
Plan you day to avoid steep solar zones during daytime warming.
Expect to encounter new wind slabs near ridgecrests. Past winds have been strong and from the southwest, it may be possible to find wind slabs lower on lee aspects terrain, in locations that you would not typically expect.
A buried layer of surface hoar on a crust is particularly concerning in the north of this region.
Steep south aspect terrain will begin to unconsolidated when temperatures rise and the sun is out. Consider avoiding these features during daytime warming.
Reports of avalanche activity has subsided as temperatures cooled.
On Wednesday, natural avalanches where reported, with wet avalanches at lower elevations and wind or persistent slabs to size 2.5 at higher elevations.
Past activity includes failures in recent storm snow as well as on deeper weak layers such as the early January surface hoar and the late December crust.
Recent storm totals vary from 80-150 cm throughout the region, heavily redistributed by strong southerly winds at upper elevations and has likely settled from warm temperatures.
At treeline, recent rain and warm temperatures may have affected the surface snow. As temperatures cool this warm and wet snow is forming a stout melt freeze crust. ns. Below treeline, the snowpack was wet down to the ground, becoming consolidated and forming a surface crust.
A layer of surface hoar is buried 40 to 70 cm deep in sheltered treeline features. The mid and lower snowpack is well settled with no current layers of concern. Treeline snow depths throughout the region range from 150 cm to 250 cm.
Thursday Night
Clear skies. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 900 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2900 m.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
