Be aware of snow conditions that change with elevation and from aspect to another. Small storm slabs may exist in the alpine while wet snow may become a concern at lower elevations with daytime warming.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Light flurries. Accumulation 2-4 cm. Ridge wind light, southeast. Alpine Temperature near -5. Freezing level 500 m.SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy. Ridge wind light, northeast. Alpine Temperature near -4. Freezing level 1700 m.SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation 2-4 cm. Ridge wind light, northwest. Alpine Temperature near -6. Freezing level 1500 m.MONDAY: Mostly cloudy. Ridge wind light to moderate, west. Alpine temperature near -6. Freezing level 1500 m.
Avalanche Summary
There were no new reports of avalanches from the region on Thursday.Wednesday there were reports of several natural, loose, wet avalanches up to size 1.5 on south aspects at all elevations, as well as a skier triggered wind slab (size 1) on a northeast aspect at 2300 m.On Tuesday there were two size 1.5 skier triggered wind slab avalanches reported on north and northwest aspects in the alpine. Reports earlier in the week primarily included wet loose avalanches to size 2 in steeper terrain on sunny aspects.
Snowpack Summary
A light dusting (5-15 cm) of new snow covers a crust on all but high elevation northerly aspects, which still hold dry snow. Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators. They are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, a cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
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.