Avalanche Forecast

Natural avalanche activity has taperred over the past 24hrs with only a few isolated alpine windslabs on N and E aspects up to sz 2. These slabs were in steep unskiable terrain but ran into skiable terrain.

The 30cm of recent snow is overlying a variety of different surfaces depending on aspect. On solar aspects it is overlying a 1cm thick melt freeze crust that formed from intense solar radiation. So far, field tests are showing that this snow is bonding well to this crust on these aspects. On polar aspects this new snow is overlying weak facetted crystals. On wednesday winds were moderate out of the SW and windslabs were quick to develop in this new snow. An avalanche cycle was triggered as a result of these winds with most natural activity occurring within the recent storm snow. Deeper in the snowpack (100-120cm) a layer of facets that developed in late January is producing hard sudden collapse compression test results. Even deeper than this layer are the weak basal facets and depth hoar. Thin spots as well as windloaded features should be treated as suspect and avoided at this time.

Thursday will be a mix of sun and cloud with a light northwest wind blowing throughout the day. Morning temperatures will be around -19 but quickly warm up with the sun to around -3. The intense solar radiation is making solar aspects wet already so keep this in your mind as you travel. One model is calling for the freezing level to climb to 2000m by late afternoon. No new snow is expected.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
• Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.