Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to rapidly fluctuating freezing levels.

Warm sunny weather continues until a weak frontal system arrives on Thursday.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, light northeast wind, freezing level drops to 1500 m with treeline temperatures dropping to -3 C.

MONDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level climbing to 2200 m with treeline temperatures reaching +1 C.

WEDNESDAY: Sunny with some clouds in the afternoon, light northwest wind, freezing level climbs to 2400 m with treeline temperatures reaching +3 C.

THURSDAY: Scattered flurries bring 5-15 cm of snow above 1800 m and light rain in the valleys, light northeast wind, freezing level around 1800 m with treeline temperatures around -1 C.

Multiple days of above freezing temperatures resulted in widespread wet loose and wet slab avalanches on sun-exposed slopes between Thursday and Saturday. The wet loose avalanches were mostly size 1-2, but some of the wet slab avalanches were quite large and destructive (size 2.5-3.5). The large wet slabs were mostly on south and west facing slopes. See a photo of a recent wet slab in Glacier National Park here.

You can still expect wet loose avalanches and cornice falls on Tuesday, but they will be less widespread and destructive than they were over the weekend due to the relatively cooler temperatures.

A surface crust will form overnight and then gradually break down with daytime warming. Dry snow may still be found in high north-facing terrain (above roughly 2300 m). There are no layers of concern in the snowpack, which has been melting and settling over the past week. Large cornices loom along many ridgelines.

• Avoid exposure to steep sun exposed slopes.
• When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.