Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Sunday

SATURDAY Night: Mostly dry. Freezing level down to valley floor. Light southerly winds.SUNDAY: Between a trace and 10 cm new snow. Freezing level around 1000 m. Light southerly winds around treeline, high alpine elevations could see moderate southwest wind.MONDAY: 10-20 cm new snow. Freezing level around 1500 m. Moderate southwesterly winds.TUESDAY: Continued snow with another 10 to 20 cm. Freezing level around 1500 m. Moderate southwest winds.

Avalanches up to size 2 were reported Friday, but fewer than earlier in the week; as expected natural avalanche activity appears to be tapering off. Avalanches were running either within the storm snow or at the bottom of the storm snow where surface hoar or faceted (sugary) snow formed during the Nov / Dec drought. Remotely or explosive triggered avalanches with 50 cm crowns, on NW to NE aspects, are evidence this layer remains active.

Approximately 50 to 60 cm of snow has fell last week, with strong southerly winds. This snow sits on top of a weak layer of facets (sugary crystals), surface hoar (feathery crystals) and a sun crust on south aspects. Recent "sudden" snowpack test results and remotely triggered avalanches indicate it remains a critical layer that can release avalanches.Lower in the snowpack, previous weak layers appear inactive. These deeper layers could possibly cause problems on cold (north facing) slopes at high elevations where the snowpack is thin, but in most places, this is unlikely.