Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions

Friday: Light NW wind. Alpine temperature near -14. No precipitation.Saturday:Light W wind. Alpine temperature near -15. Trace of snow.Sunday: Light W wind. Alpine temperature near -14. No snow.

A natural cycle of size 1-2.5 storm slabs occurred over the last three days. Skiers also triggered avalanches up to size 2, failing on buried surface hoar or facets. The touchy nature of the buried surface hoar was revealed by a skier-remote triggered avalanche, and a skier-triggered size 1 which ran across a flat bench and triggered a size 2 on another slope. Both these events were in the 1350-1450m elevation band on N/NE aspects in the south of the region.

New snow has developed into slabs, with a weak bond to old snow surfaces including surface hoar (found especially below about 1600 m in sheltered areas) and facets. Variable amounts of storm snow (25-90 cm) have fallen across the region, meaning the avalanche danger is likely to be different from place to place. In heaviest-affected areas, there is the potential for deep and destructive storm snow avalanches. Strong winds have left wind slabs in the lee of terrain breaks such as ridges and ribs at alpine and treeline elevations. In areas sheltered from the wind, fast-moving sluff could throw you off your feet or carry you into a terrain trap. A strong mid-pack overlies a weak facet/crust layer near the base of the snowpack.