Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Wednesday

Tonight and Tuesday: A weak ridge will remain over interior ranges with generally dry conditions. Ridgetop winds will blow moderate from the South. Light snow amounts. Alpine temperatures near -8 and freezing levels 900 m.Tuesday night and Wednesday: A low pressure system will move inland. Most of this system will remain South of the border, but some cloud and light precipitation will spread into the Southern Interior. Ridgetop winds will be light from the South. Alpine temperatures near -6 and freezing levels at 1400 m, falling to valley bottom overnight.Thursday: Generally clear and dry. Ridgetop winds light from the SW. Alpine temperatures near -6 and freezing levels 1400 m and then dropping overnight.

Numerous natural slab avalanches were reported on Saturday. These occurred mainly on N-E aspects, above 2200 m and ranging from size 1.5-2.5, failing within the recent storm snow, and suspect of failing on older surface hoar layers buried down 50-60 cm. Explosive control initiated numerous size 1.5-2.5 slab avalanches on SE-SW aspects above 1600m.No new avalanche observations on Monday.

In much of the region, up to 80 cm recent snow overlies older interfaces comprising of surface hoar and sun crusts. The storm slab above these interfaces has the potential for wide propagations and surprisingly large avalanches.Wind slabs and new cornice development exist at ridgelines and on lee slopes. These are likely sensitive to human triggers. Cornices may become weak under the influence of the sun, and could trigger slabs on slopes below.A strong melt-freeze crust exists at 1700 m and below and is generally bridging any deeper instabilities. The average treeline snow depths sit near 250 cm.