Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Sunday will likely mark the last day of the dry ridge of high pressure. A temperature inversion is still expected with above-freezing temperatures and light ridgetop winds. On Monday and Tuesday, expect cool and unsettled weather with light flurries, moderate southeast winds and freezing levels at or near valley bottom.

Aside from a few size 1 wind slab avalanches in the far north of the region, no new avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack surfaces are highly variable. Temperature inversions and solar radiation have come into play, and depending on the time of day, sun-exposed slopes at higher elevations may be either moist or refrozen. On shaded slopes, 25-40 cm of storm snow from Boxing Day continues to facet, and new surface hoar has been reported at all elevations. In areas where recent winds have been light, shaded slopes will likely provide unconsolidated powder. In areas where winds have been stronger, reactive wind slabs may exist, especially in areas where the the slab overlies surface hoar buried by the boxing day storm.Professionals in the region are still keeping an eye on a few other surface hoar layers that developed throughout December which are now buried in the top 100cm. Although these layers may be gaining strength, they are worth keeping an eye on, especially on steep unsupported slopes at treeline and below. In colder and shallower snowpack areas watch for weak basal facets.