Avalanche Forecast

Friday night: Unsettled and blustery, trace to 5 cm snowfall overnight. Moderate to storm southwest wind. Ridgetop temperatures dropping to -10 C.

Saturday: Cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm of new snow. Strong southwest winds gusting to extreme overnight. Ridgetop high -3 C.

Sunday: Stormy and unsettled with up to 10 cm fresh snow by morning. Southwest winds decreasing to moderate. Ridgetop high -1 C.

Monday: Flurries and unsettled, 5 cm fresh snow. Moderate southeasterly wind. Ridgetop high reaching 0 C.

A couple of small (size 1) windslabs were reactive to skiers on Thursday, about 15 cm deep on a north aspect. Otherwise, there have been no recent avalanche observations since earlier in the week when natural cornice falls were observed throughout the region.

Wind continues to redistribute any loose snow into pressed surfaces and pockets of windslab at treeline and higher. Below the fresh snow, a crust can be found on all aspects and elevations except high north terrain where cold snow prevailed through recent warm temperatures. Large overhanging cornices have also been observed in the region recently which may remain sensitive.

A couple of layers of weak crystals in the upper snowpack appear to be bonding according to recent observations and snowpack tests. Additionally, we suspect that the surface crust will help bridge these layers, further decreasing their likelihood of triggering older persistent weak layers. 

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.