Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

A ridge of high pressure will continue to dominate the region bringing mainly clear skies and dry conditions for the forecast period. On Thursday the freezing level should hover at about 1500m, but another inversion will set in for Friday and Saturday with above freezing alpine temperatures. Winds should remain mainly light and west/northwesterly for all three days.

There have been no new reports of significant avalanche activity although some sluffing continues on steep solar aspects during the warmest parts of the day.

A dusting of new snow overlies a variety of surfaces which include hard, stubborn windslabs in exposed upper elevation terrain, a melt freeze crust on steep, sun-exposed slopes, and well developed surface hoar at treeline and below. Ongoing warm daytime temperatures have promoted settlement within the snowpack, while cool nights have allowed for significant surface faceting.Closer to the ground, below a generally strong and well settled mid pack, there are 2 layers of note: the late November surface hoar, and a crust/facet combo which formed in October. Both of these layers represent a low probability-high consequence scenario. In short, the likelihood of a release at these interfaces is low, but avalanches would probably be very destructive in nature. Possible triggers include cornice fall, significant warming, or thin spot triggering on an unsupported slope in the alpine or at treeline.