Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with isolated light flurries, light west wind with moderate gusts, treeline temperatures -6 C, freezing level dropping to valley bottom overnight.

Thursday: Increasing cloud, flurries arriving late in the day, southwest wind increasing to strong, treeline temperatures near -3 C, freezing level rising to 500 m and dropping to valley bottom overnight.

Friday: Mix of sun and cloud, scattered flurries with up to 5 cm of accumulation, moderate southwest wind, treeline temperatures near -2 C, freezing level rising to 800 m and dropping to valley bottom overnight.

Saturday: Increasing cloud, light west wind, treeline temperatures near -2 C, freezing level reaching 500 m.

Over the weekend, operators reported large (up to size 2) wind slab avalanches failing in immediate lee features and several natural cornice failures (up to size 2). Reports also included natural wet loose avalanches on south-facing slopes (up to size 2). 

A dusting of new snow covers a variety of previous snow surface conditions, including widespread wind-affect and a crust on steep south-facing slopes and at lower elevations. Small wind slabs may linger in isolated features near ridgetops. 

Cornices are large and looming at this time of year. Check out these reports from over the weekend from Hankin and Eliot Peak that illustrate the wind-affect and large cornices. 

Buried 70-120 cm deep, a spotty layer of surface hoar may exist on sheltered north aspects, but no recent avalanches have been reported on this layer. 

The lower snowpack is reported as well settled and strong in most areas. However, weak facets exist at the base of the snowpack in the more shallow snowpack zones across the region. Where it exists, this layer has the potential to be triggered on steep, rocky slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack; especially with large loads such as a cornice fall.

• Minimize your exposure time below cornices.
• Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.