Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday

A Pacific frontal system should move on to the coast this afternoon or evening. The front is forecast to be fast moving and should affect the interior ranges overnight Monday. Forecast snowfall amounts are 5-10 cm overnight combined with strong southerly winds. The wind is expected to shift a bit to the southwest and continue to be strong during the day on Tuesday as another 5-10 cm is expected to accumulate. Unsettled weather is forecast for the interior mountains on Wednesday as the fast moving system should have moved on to the East. On Thursday a weak low pressure system is expected to move up from south of the U.S. border spreading light to moderate precipitation mostly to the southern regions of the interior.

Several operators preformed explosive control on Sunday. Results were up to size 3.5 on various aspects in the alpine, some involving standing timber. One natural size 3.0 avalanche was reported from an east aspect at 2650 metres that failed on the mid-February layer and scoured down to the ground.

Operators report that periods of broken skies on Sunday did not create widespread moist surface snow. It was reported to be warm enough to help settle the recent new snow and storm slab. The combined slab above the mid-february persistent weak layer is now between 150-200 cm. Some operators continue to get easy-moderate sudden planar character shears on the mid-february surface hoar in shallow areas. Snowpack conditions continue to be tricky to evaluate, and are variable throughout the region. Forecast strong wind and new snow may develop new windslabs in the alpine and at treeline.