The likelihood of human-triggered avalanches remains elevated, particularly in wind-loaded terrain and steep slopes near treeline.
Additional snowfall may cause natural avalanches.
Storm slabs are present at all elevations. Recent winds have created dangerous conditions on leeward alpine slopes, while a buried surface hoar layer at treeline and below may produce surprisingly touchy conditions in sheltered areas.
Numerous natural, explosive, and rider-triggered avalanches have been reported throughout the week, ranging in size from 1 to 2.5 on all aspects and elevations.
Several of these avalanches occurred below treeline, sliding on buried surface hoar, and releasing in surprisingly low-angle terrain.
A few explosive-controlled avalanches have failed on the mid-November crust, all size 2 or smaller.
Approximately 40 to 70 cm of recent storm snow now overlies potential weak layers of faceted snow at higher elevations and surface hoar at lower elevations.
A mid-November melt-freeze crust is buried 50 to 100 cm below the surface at lower-alpine elevations (around 2400 m) and below, but this crust appears to be absent in higher-alpine terrain.
Snowpack depths at treeline range from 90 to 140 cm and decrease rapidly at lower elevations.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with 2 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Monday
Cloudy with 10 to 15 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with 10 to 15 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with 15 to 20 cm of snow. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
