Remain cautious in wind-affected terrain, especially if you see blowing snow.
Wind slabs have been reactive in the region.
Recent snow and strong winds have built wind slabs at upper elevations. Slabs may be more reactive where a buried surface hoar layer is present. Strong to extreme winds have even affected openings below treeline in some areas.
On Saturday, a large wind slab—possibly triggered by a cornice fall—was reported near Gladstone Mountain in the southern part of the region.
On Friday, explosive control triggered a size 2 wind slab out of a lee crossloaded slope in the alpine.
Looking forward, wind slabs are expected to be reactive to human triggering on Monday.
Strong to extreme southwesterly winds have caused widespread wind effect in open terrain, forming hard and soft slabs, sastrugi, and scouring windward slopes.
Up to 10 cm of new snow on Monday, combined with strong winds, will continue to build fresh wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded features.
In parts of the region, a buried surface hoar layer may exist roughly 40 cm below the surface.
The mid-snowpack is well consolidated, with a thick melt-freeze crust present at treeline and below, but generally absent in the alpine.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, a crust with facets is considered unlikely to trigger, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.
Sunday Night
Cloudy. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.
Monday
Cloudy. 2 to 10 cm of snow. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2100 m rising to 2500 m.
Wednesday
Sunny. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 3500 m, falling to 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
