Avalanche Forecast

Very large cornices exist and continued snowfall, wind and high humidity continue to promote cornice growth. Cornice failures have the potential to over load the snowpack and trigger both new snow instabilities as well deeper instabilities. Expect the new growth to be fragile and when temperatures and freezing levels rise become suspected triggers in bigger avalanche events. Location: Many aspects at ridge top in the Alpine and Tree line. Possibility: Triggering of this avalanche problem is likely to very likely from light loads such as skiers/snowmobilers. Natural avalanches are possible to likely. Size: If triggered expect these avalanches to be large size 2, on isolated terrain features very large, size 3

Wind slabs could become a factor Wednesday in areas where precipitation arrives in excess of 20cm coupled with strong winds and a lower freezing level. Found predominantly on downwind aspects, the predictability of the location of the wind slab will be difficult as winds shift overnight Tuesday during the storm from SW to NW. This avalanche problem overlie a variety of snow surfaces, mostly a wet upper snowpack surface or a firm melt freeze crust (depending on elevation and aspect). Location: Many aspects and found in both the Alpine and Tree line. Winds are shifting direction on Tuesday night into Wednesday which will contribute to reverse loading and essentially complicate terrain management due to availability of new light dry snow being relocated to many downwind aspects. Possibility: Triggering of this avalanche problem is possible to likely from light loads such as skiers/snowmobilers. Natural avalanches are unlikely to possible. Size: If triggered expect these avalanches to be size 1, on isolated terrain features very large, size 2 .

This new avalanche problem will develop Friday in areas that receive snow in excess of 20cm- sensitivity to triggering will increase over the course of the storm event. On isolated Alpine terrain expect this new snow to overly buried surface hoar. On solar aspects, expect the storm snow to overlie a melt freeze crust. Location: All aspects, Alpine and Tree line. Below tree line hazard is from above. Possibility: Triggering of this avalanche problem is possible to likely from light loads such as skiers/snowmobilers. Natural avalanches are unlikely to possible. Size: If triggered expect these avalanches to be large size 1, on isolated terrain features large, size 2.