Be alert to conditions that change with daytime warming. Danger ratings are likely to exceed posted levels if solar radiation is strong, especially at treeline and below.
Summary
Confidence
Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Wednesday
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: Overcast skies with very light snowfall / Light southwest winds / Freezing level at 2200mThursday: Moderate snowfall/rain developing late in the day / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 2400mFriday: Moderate to locally heavy snowfall/rain / moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 1800m
Avalanche Summary
On Monday, numerous wet slab avalanches and glide crack releases were reported up to size 3 from South-West aspects. As long as temperatures are warm and solar radiation is high, I would expect more of this activity.
Snowpack Summary
We are in a classic spring melt-freeze cycle. The surface snow becomes moist up to 2200m on all aspect and to ridgecrest on sun-exposed slopes. Large cornices are becoming weak due to strong solar radiation and warming temperatures. Surface hoar growth and surface facetting is happening at night on high sheltered, northerly aspects. Isolated wind slabs exist in the immediate lee of ridge crests and terrain featuresA buried rain crust can be found down 50 cm and exists up to around 2100 m. Although unlikely, a large trigger such as a cornice fall or warming on a solar aspect could cause this layer to fail.
