The sun will come out today for the first time since this stormy period. Keep your head up for terrain above you that may be getting baked, especially if the surface is moist.
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure brings dry conditions today with no precipitation, light southerly winds and freezing levels rising to around treeline. Temperatures will drop slightly Sunday as the ridge moves out and precipitation starts in the afternoon. Light snow is forecast for Sunday into Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Moderate southerly winds for the last five days during this storm period have loaded northerly lee features at treeline and the alpine. Up to 55 cm of settled storm snow has accumulated since Jan 26 near the west boundary of the park. Half that amount accumulated east of the summit. Heavy warmer, wind effected snow lies over lower density snow.
Avalanche Summary
Warming and solar radiation will possibly produce loose avalanches on solar aspects this afternoon.No new natural avalanches were observed along the highway corridor yesterday. Artillery control on Thursday night produced several avalanches up to size 3, but mostly size 2-2.5, running far some with large dust component west of the summit.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Problems
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.