Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Snow ending overnight or early Friday morning, with cloud breaking up and becoming scattered in the afternoon. Periods of strong solar radiation with freezing levels climbing up to at least 1500 metres and light westerly winds. Expect a good freeze down close to valley bottoms on Saturday morning. Light southwest winds and mostly sunny skies during the day, high cloud developing in the late afternoon. Freezing levels climbing up to 1700 metres. On Sunday, expect mostly cloudy conditions with flurries or light snow by the afternoon.

No new avalanches reported. On Tuesday, we had a report of a natural slab avalanche size 2.5 on a southwest aspect at 2200 metres with a wide propagation and depth of about 100 cm, the bed surface was sun-crust with melted surface hoar on top. Solar induced loose wet avalanches up to size 2.0 were reported on Monday and Tuesday.

Forecast new snow and wind is expected to develop new storm slabs at all elevations. Daytime warming continues to melt surface snow, and overnight crust recovery has been variable depending on cloud cover. Large cornices loom over many ridge lines and many are teetering on the brink of failure. Old wind slabs may remain a problem on high elevation north facing features. The make up of the late February persistent weak layer is an aspect dependant mix of surface hoar, facets and/or a thick crust down around 70 to 100 cm below the snow surface. Large triggers like natural cornice fall and explosive control work continue to initiate avalanches failing on this interface. The recent warm to cool temperatures should give the overlying slab a bit of strength, but it has yet to prove itself trustworthy. Unfortunately there's not much of a reliable pattern telling us what exact aspects are most suspect. As a precautionary measure, we recommend remaining suspicious of steep unsupported features at and above treeline.