Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

The current ridge of high pressure will persist for the foreseeable future bringing mainly clear skies for the forecast period. Ridgetop winds will intensify throughout the day on Thursday, and remain strong and southwesterly until Saturday. An inversion is forecast for all 3 days with above-freezing temperatures expected in the alpine by Thursday afternoon.

No recent avalanches have been reported. With solar radiation and warming forecast for the next few days, loose wet avalanches will become more likely on steep, sun-exposed slopes.

Light amounts (10-15cm) of snow fell last weekend. Variable winds have likely shifted the new snow into wind slabs in upper elevation lee terrain. Although these wind slabs have likely gained strength, I'd remain cautious on steep, unsupported slopes in the immediate lee of ridge crests. Solar radiation has also come into play, and depending on the time of day, steep solar aspects may be moist or refrozen.We're still dealing with a thin, early-season snowpack for much of the Northwest Inland region. Between 80 and 100 cm of snow can be found at tree-line in the south and west of the region, with closer to 60 cm in the east. A weak basal layer probably exists in most areas, and I suspect that the ongoing cold temperatures have continued to promote faceting in the snowpack, especially in shallow, rocky areas.