Avalanche Forecast

Moderate

Thursday, there was a close call and a skier triggered a size 2 avalanche on a S/SW aspect and was able to self arrest.

Wednesday there was a widespread natural cycle triggered by the wind.

Tuesday, there was a skier triggered avalanche on the steep west aspect of Cheops.

Earlier in the week, there were more reports of skier accidentals on the Jan 3rd crust. *All skier triggered avalanches failed on a suncrust.

Moderate to strong northerly winds have redistributed the recent 10-20cms of storm snow. Beneath this recent storm snow is a layer of harder wind affected snow sitting on a sun crust on solar aspects.

In sheltered areas below treeline this new snow is evenly distributed and sitting on facets.

Below 2100m there is a crust down 70-80cm (from Dec 5th/6th).

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down 90-120cm and is decomposing. However, it is still reactive in isolated snowpack tests.

A short lived break of high pressure makes way for warming temps & moderate snowfall. Weak high pressure builds on Sunday.

Tonight: Mainly cloudy, Low -14°C, Light SE wind.

Friday: 11cm, High -4°C, Light South wind, Freezing level (Fz Lvl) 1200m

Sat: 6cm, High -1°C, Light SW wind, Fz Lvl 1700m

Sun: Trace precip, High -2°C, Light SW wind, Fz Lvl 1700m

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
• Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.