Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Saturday: Clear skies with strong solar input - light southwest ridge top winds - freezing level at 1500m Sunday: Clear skies with strong solar input - light to moderate southwest ridge top winds - freezing level at 1700m Monday: Possible increased cloud - light and variable winds - freezing level at 1700m

On Thursday a size 3 natural storm slab released on a southeasterly alpine slope. A melt freeze crust that formed earlier in the week was the suspected bed surface. A size 2 on a similar feature was also reported.The most recent report of avalanche activity on the early-February layer was Monday where natural avalanches up to size 3.5 failed on southerly aspects down about 100-150cm. Avalanches releasing on this layer are becoming less frequent; however, solar warming is of particular concern over the next few days, as it could destabilize storm slabs and cornices, potentially initiating deep failures on the mid-February layer. Be particularly wary of sunny aspects during the heat of the day.

20-30 cm recent storm snow overlies various surfaces including settled snow, wind slabs and crusts. New wind slabs have formed in the alpine and at treeline. Solar warming last weekend left a melt-freeze crust up to about 2400 m on solar aspects and up to about 1500 m on all aspects. Cornices have grown large and unstable. A consolidated deep slab overlies weak surfaces that formed in early February. Now 1-2 m below the surface, these weaknesses include surface hoar, facets or crusts. Operators continue to express concern about the potential for deep releases on these interfaces.