Avalanche Forecast

Moderate

No avalanches have been reported since a cycle of small storm slabs occurred on Friday Dec 31 (size 1 to 1.5).

Continue to support your backcountry community and please consider submitting a MIN report.

30 to 40 cm of snow from last week is settling over a melt-freeze crust above 1000 m. A thin layer of facets could exist around this interface. Strong southerly winds have redistributed available snow into wind slabs on north and east aspects and cross-loading on others. Below 1000 m the snow surface could still be moist.

Terrain below treeline has limited or no coverage.

Tuesday night

A weak frontal system will bring 5 to 15 cm of snow above 500 m and rain below 500 m, 30 to 50 km/h wind from the southeast, treeline temperatures around -2 °C.

Wednesday

Cloudy with sunny breaks in the afternoon, no significant precipitation, 40 to 60 km/h wind from the southeast, freezing level fluctuating between 1000 and 1500 m in the afternoon with treeline temperatures hovering around 0 °C.

Cloudy with 5 to 15 mm of mixed precipitation as freezing levels fluctuate between 1000 and 1500 m, 50 to 80 km/h wind from the southeast.

Stormy with 25 to 50 mm of precipitation with the heaviest accumulations on the west and south side of the island. Freezing levels climbing to 1200 m will likely results in mixed precipitation types at treeline and rain below 1000 m. 60 to 80 km/h wind from the southeast.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
• Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.
• Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where even small avalanches may have severe consequences.