Avalanche Forecast

Friday night: Cloudy, 5-15 cm of new snow, moderate southwest wind, freezing level dropping to 1000 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -4 C.

Saturday: Cloudy, 20-30 cm of new snow, strong southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1400 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -2 C.

Sunday: Cloudy, 20-30 cm of new snow, moderate southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1200 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -3 C.

Monday: Cloudy, 20-30 cm of new snow, moderate southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1000 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -5 C.

A few small dry loose avalanches were reported on Monday, however mountain travel and field observations over the past week have been very limited. Last week there were many wet loose avalanches, but cooler weather and new snow has made widespread storm slabs the main concern.

Heavy snow with strong southwest wind is expected to build widespread, reactive storm slabs and create dangerous avalanche conditions. 

Incremental snowfall over the past week covers a variety of previous snow surfaces including crusts, warm snow, and wind-affected snow. There is some uncertainty about how well the new snow will bond to these interfaces. The snowpack is generally strong and settled, with the exception of some areas in the eastern and northern parts of the region that have weak faceted snow near the base of the snowpack. However, this layer is considered dormant and has not produced an avalanche since February 20.

• Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.
• Avoid terrain traps where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.