Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

High pressure is expected to be the dominant feature for the next few days. A mix of sun and cloud is expected for Wednesday with treeline temperatures around -10C and moderate southeast winds in the alpine. Similar conditions are expected for Thursday with mostly sunny skies, treeline temperatures around -10C, and light alpine winds. On Friday, an inversion is forecast to build and temperatures at treeline should reach -5C or warmer.

No new slab avalanches have been reported. Skier triggered sluffing was reported from steep terrain in the far north of the region on Monday.

Although recently formed wind slabs have likely gained strength, I'd remain cautious on steep, unsupported slopes in the immediate lee of ridge crests. Thanks to recent solar radiation and warmer alpine temperatures, you'll likely find a melt-freeze crust on steep, sun-exposed slopes at higher elevations. We're still dealing with a thin, early-season snowpack for much of the Northwest Inland region. Shedin creek snow pillow is at historical minimum snow depth, and Tsai creek snow pillow is setting a new historical minimum snow depth. Between 80 and 100 cm of snow can be found at tree-line in the south and west of the region, with closer to 60 cm in the east. A weak basal layer probably exists in most areas, and I suspect that the ongoing cold temperatures have continued to promote faceting in the snowpack, especially in shallow, rocky areas.