Avalanche Forecast

Poor - Due to the number of field observations

A Pacific storm system will interact with cold Arctic air on Monday resulting in snowfall throughout the region. 15-25cm are expected between midday Monday and midday Tuesday. Amounts should be greatest in the north of the region. Freezing levels are expected to be between 500 and 1000m during the storm and alpine winds are forecast to be moderate to strong from the SW at the front of the storm. By the end of Tuesday, cold Arctic air becomes the dominant feature for the foreseeable future. Sunny and cold conditions are expected for Wednesday with outflow winds.

No recent avalanches have been reported. If you are out in the mountains, please send us your observations.

Limited reports from the region suggest that anywhere from 100 to 150cm of snow sits on the ground. There are two crusts and one surface hoar layer in the snowpack that are of potential concern. But be aware as you read this that there is very little data on these layers and you should investigate the snowpack in your local area. The new snowfall will be sitting on a crust that is on or just below the current snow surface. This will likely be the bed surface for any wind slab or storm slab avalanches going forward. A thick crust layer and a layer of surface hoar both potentially sit in the middle of the snowpack but the stability and distribution of these layers throughout the region is not yet known. New loading could increase the reactivity of these layers or smaller avalanche may have the potential to step down. Dig down and test these layers before committing to avalanche terrain. New wind slabs in leeward features may be sensitive to human-triggering for several days. If you're out in the mountains, please send us your reports. Check out the recent conditions video from Whitewater at: https://youtu.be/lmM4gDom1wM