Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

A dirty ridge of high pressure should keep things mainly dry on Wednesday but light scattered flurries are possible. Mostly cloudy conditions are expected but sunny breaks are possible. Freezing levels are forecast to be around 1600m and alpine winds light-to-moderate from the SW. On Thursday, mostly cloudy conditions are expected during the day. Freezing levels are forecast to rise to over 2000m. Light precipitation is forecast for Thursday night and models are currently showing 5-10mm. On Friday, mostly cloudy and mainly dry conditions are expected. Freezing levels may peak on Friday at over 2500m.

Widespread natural, human-triggered, and explosive controlled avalanches up to size 3 were reported on Friday through Monday during the storm. This includes both storm slabs and persistent slabs. On Wednesday, natural activity is generally not expected but is possible on steep south-facing slopes if the sun comes out. Human-triggering of the storm slab remains possible, especially on steep slopes and wind loaded features in the alpine.

60-90cm of rapidly settling storm snow sits over the late-Jan weak layer at higher elevations. Rain has soaked the snow surface up to around 1700m and moist snow is reported to at least 2000m. Overnight cooling may be refreezing the snow surface forming a weak crust at some elevations. Strong SW winds had formed wind slabs in exposed leeward terrain features. The storm slab sits on an old rain crust at lower elevations, variable surface hoar, and/or wind affected surfaces at higher elevations. The mid-January surface hoar is typically down 80-120cm and has been reactive in some areas. The mid-December weak layer is down over 120cm but was generally unreactive through the storm.