Avalanche Forecast

High

SUNDAY: flurries starting overnight and becoming light snow through the day with accumulations of up to 10cm expected, light to moderate southwesterly winds, 1400m freezing level. MONDAY: another 10cm overnight with flurries through the day, light southerly winds, 1200m freezing level. TUESDAY: snow starting overnight with up to 10cm possible by the end of the day, light to moderate southerly winds, 1200m freezing level.

No new avalanches were reported on Friday.  Earlier in the week a few size 1-2 wind slabs were triggered naturally and by skiers, however this activity seems to have slowed. Cornices are still large and fragile, and may fail under the weight of a person.

Cornices are large and weak.  A refreeze crust may cap moist snow at and below treeline and on solar slopes in the alpine. Older wind slabs are gaining strength, but may still be reactive to human triggers, especially in steep lee features in the alpine, where they could also be triggered naturally by cornice fall. Several crusts can be found in the upper meter of the snowpack depending on aspect and elevation. A layer of surface hoar buried in early January can be found down 1-2 m. In most places it is thought to be capped by a thick, widespread crust.