Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Clear weather for most of the forecast period. The coldest temperatures may be at valley bottom. Winds are forecasted to increase significantly from the west as the next weather system moves in on Tuesday.

Saturday Night: Clear. No new snow expected. Moderate trending to light northeast winds. Alpine Temperatures around -16 °C. 

Sunday: Mostly sunny, scattered cloud in the afternoon. No new snow expected. Light variable winds. Alpine temperatures around -18 °C.

Monday: Mostly sunny, isolated scattered clouds. No new snow expected. Moderate north winds, trending to strong at higher elevations. Alpine temperatures around -15 °C, with a possible temperature inversion setting up, temperatures possibly warmer than -5 °C around 2000m.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Light snowfall starting through the day. Strong to extreme west winds. Temperature inversion breaking down. Alpine low around -15 °C.

No new avalanches were reported on Saturday, but there are very few professional operations or recreationalists reporting on conditions. 

If you feel like you have good information, or even just good vibes and good pictures to share, consider making a quick post on the Mountain Information Network:)

Wind slabs formed on all aspects in exposed terrain seem to be less reactive than earlier in the week, but regular caution around ridge crests and rollovers is still a good idea. 

Check out our forecaster blog for some thoughts on the snowpack at this point in the season. Persistent weak layers are still on our minds.

5-10 cm of recent, low density snow overlies wind slabs in the alpine, Given the variable nature of the recent wind, slabs should be expected on all aspects in exposed terrain. In sheltered areas this new snow covered Surface hoar up to 4 mm. This layer is not expected to produce avalanches at the moment, but we'll be keeping an eye on it as more snow falls on top.

In areas sheltered from the wind, expect to find 30-40 cm of light, fluffy snow on top of a supportive mid pack.

Check out this post on the Mountain Information Network (MIN) from our Northwest field team for a great summary of the snowpack and conditions at Hankin-Evelyn on Thursday. 

An early season crust and facets can be found near the base of the snowpack. This layer now appears to have gone dormant through most of the region but could still be reactive in some shallow snowpack areas. 

Snowpack depth at treeline typically ranges from 100-200 cm, with higher values in the western part of the region and tapering to the east. In the far southwest of the region, the height of snow is closer to 300 cm. 

• If you are increasing your exposure to avalanche terrain, do it gradually as you gather information.
• Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
• Avoid terrain traps where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.
• Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.