Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Saturday

SATURDAY: 20 cm snow. Freezing level near 400 m. Strong westerly winds. SUNDAY: 10-15 cm snow. Freezing level near 400 m. Moderate south-westerly winds. MONDAY: 10-20 cm snow. Freezing level near 400 m. Strong south-westerly winds.More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Rapid wind loading caused a natural avalanche cycle on Wednesday. On steep solar aspects, size 1-2 loose wet avalanches were also observed. A few small wind slabs were triggered by skiers on Thursday.New snow and wind are expected to cause a rise in avalanche activity throughout the weekend.

Snow and wind over the weekend are building storm slabs and wind slabs in open terrain at alpine and treeline elevations. New snow has buried old hard wind slabs, scoured surfaces and sastrugi in many exposed areas. In wind-sheltered terrain, sun crusts or dry facets sit below the recent storm snow.In the upper pack is an interface of sun crusts, facets and spotty surface hoar (which is most prevalent in sheltered treed locations). Deeper in the snowpack, around 50-150 cm down, you'll find a crust/surface hoar layer, which still has the chance to surprise you and could be triggered from a thin snowpack spot, or with a large trigger like cornice fall.