Avalanche Forecast

High - We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast

Sunday night: Flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow. Light southwest winds and freezing levels falling to 1200 m.

Monday: stormy with 10 cm of new snow expected. Light southwest winds with freezing levels rising to 1500 m.

Tuesday: stormy with 15 to 30 cm of new snow expected. Moderate to strong southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 1700 m.

Wednesday: a mix of sun and cloud with no new snow expected. Light westerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1500 m.

Over the past few days several skier triggered storm and wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 have been reported. These avalanches have all been at treeline and generally on north aspects.

Wind slabs can be found on north and east aspects in exposed treeline and alpine terrain. Moist snow could be observed below treeline.

A new surface hoar/crust layer has recently been buried, it is not yet a concern. In the southern half of the region a crust from earlier this month exists on all aspects and elevations down 20 to 40 cm. 

The late February layer is down 60 cm on average. It consists of surface hoar crystals in shady, wind-sheltered areas around treeline and a crust on solar aspects.

Several other persistent weak layers from February and January can be found in the upper and mid snowpack.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.