We have limited observations from the field. Send us yours at [email protected]
Weather Forecast
Tuesday: Light precipitation. Freezing level near 400 m. Westerly winds easing throughout the day. Wednesday and Thursday: Clearing and cooling. Light NW winds.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches have been reported. Please let us know what you're seeing out there. Email us at [email protected].
Snowpack Summary
As we begin our forecasting season, we are working with limited information from the field. Early reports suggest there's enough snow for avalanches at alpine and some treeline elevations. Recent snow is likely to have been redistributed into slabs on lee slopes at alpine elevations. This snow may overlie a weak old snow surface (surface hoar, facets and/or a crust) which developed during November's dry spell. Check the bond of the snowpack at this level and take a cautious approach as new snow builds deeper above this layer.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.