Avalanche danger will depend heavily on the amount of snowfall tonight, and freezing levels through the weekend. These vary greatly from forecast to forecast. Evaluate conditions carefully.
Weather Forecast
New snow falls on Thursday night, with strong NE winds, and the rain-snow line lowering to 1300m -forecasts average about 25cm, but vary widely. Friday: Winds drop, snowfall clears. Freezing level 1500m, rising to 2200. Weekend: Sunny, warm, light W winds. Freezing Level uncertain on Saturday- likely 2000-2500m Saturday, rising above 3000m Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
New snow falls Thursday night, with strong NE winds, giving winter-like avalanche problems on Friday. With rising temperatures through the weekend, snowpack conditions will begin to return to Spring-like. Snowpack glide continues slowly on some slopes, with a few new glide cracks noted.
Avalanche Summary
A large (Size 2) cornice avalanche occurred on Tuesday at Treeline. Some activity is expected within the new snow due Thursday night. Glide Cracks on many slopes confirm the potential for full-depth Wet Slab avalanches. Although unlikely, these would be very large. Avoid these slopes.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.