Ice climbers be aware of the
warmer temperatures aloft. There is potential for the hazard to rise quickly with increased avalanche activity mid-day on steep solar aspects.
Summary
Weather Forecast
A strong ridge of high pressure will dominate the region through the weekend bringing lots of sunshine and calm winds. Some models are not handling the inversion well, check our
weather stations for current temperatures. Alpine temperatures will remain warm through the weekend with freezing levels up to 2300 m. Temperatures will drop Sunday night.
Snowpack Summary
A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. There is moist surface snow on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs up to size 1.5 exist on leeward slopes at treeline and above from recent wind effect. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible (down 35-70 cm), but is currently dormant.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, loose snow avalanches to size 2 were observed on steep cliffy/gullied terrain with the sun affect. In the past few days, there have been a few natural and skier triggered windslabs up to size 1.5 at and above tree line, several natural cornice failures to size 2, and a rockslide triggered size 3 over
Home Brew Ice Climb on Mt. Stephen.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain