Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Big change is coming with significant snow (and some rain) through to Thursday. MONDAY: Mix of rain and snow (10-20 cm at higher elevations) beginning near noon. Winds strong from the southwest. Freezing level 1400m and alpine high temperatures to 0 Celsius. TUESDAY: Mix of rain and snow (up to 35cm at higher elevations). Winds moderate to strong (35-70 Km/hr) from the south. Freezing level 2000 metres with alpine temperatures to +1 Celsius. WEDNESDAY: Snow (15-25cm) throughout the day. Winds moderate to strong (35-70 Km/hr) from the south. Freezing level 1600m and alpine temperatures around 0 Celsius.

Several skier (accidental) triggered Size 1 wind slabs were reported on S to SE aspects above 2000m on Saturday.

We have wildly variable surface conditions due to wind and sun effect. The pleasant warm weather this weekend resulted in a sun crust on steep solar (south) aspects. Last week, strong winds 'reverse loaded' snow in the alpine and also affected treeline elevations too. Touchy wind slabs (5-40 cm thick) formed on southerly slopes near ridge crests and roll-overs. These slabs are the primary weakness of concern in the snowpack, giving easy sudden planar results in snowpack tests. Deeper in the snowpack, older snow is bonding fairly well to a variable surface consisting of a mix of soft wind slabs, hard wind slabs, sastrugi, faceted snow, and even some surface hoar. Snowpack layers below this interface are generally well bonded, and the lower snowpack is solid.