Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing of incoming weather is uncertain on Wednesday

Monday night and Tuesday: Another day with the upper ridge pattern. Few high clouds with valley clouds above the main valleys, strong Westerlies becoming moderate, the inversion will start to erode and freezing levels also starting to drop. Wednesday: A system coming from the Pacific will begin to affect the region in the afternoon bringing moderate precipitation, cooler temperatures and lowering freezing level to the surface, with moderate SW winds.Thursday: Lingering precipitation from the system with moderate to strong W winds. Temperatures staying cool.

A few natural slab avalanches up to size 2.5 released on steep solar aspect with the exception of one on a NE aspect.  Several loose snow avalanches up to size 2 on S facing slopes were also reported. A glide crack release produced a size 2.5 avalanche below treeline on a NE facing slope.

A variety of surfaces await the next snowfall; windslabs in the alpine, facets and surface hoar in specific areas and a suncrust on South facing slopes. The windslabs in the alpine and at treeline are settling and slowly breaking down due to surface facetting. The surface hoar layer below the 40-60 cm of generally well settled snow is becoming less of a concern for the professionals but still produces some sudden planar shears amongst other resistant planar and break shears.  A strong mid-pack overlies a weak facet/crust layer near the base of the snowpack, which is now considered inactive.