Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Sunday

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with flurries / Light southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level around 500m.SATURDAY: 5-10 cm of new snow / Moderate to strong southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level around 700m.SUNDAY: 10-20 cm of new snow / Strong southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level rapidly rising to around 1800m.

Two size 1.5-2 naturally triggered wind slabs were reported on west, northwest aspects in this region on Wednesday.

10-20 cm of new snow on Thursday morning brings recent storm totals to 60-90cm. Moderate southerly winds continue to redistribute the new snow. Last weekend's strong to extreme southeasterly ridgetop winds likely created dense storm slabs lurking in lee and cross-loaded features at treeline and above.90-120cm below the surface you'll likely find a few crusts that were buried during the first few weeks of January. Due to limited observations, not much is known about the current reactivity of these layers.The lower snowpack includes the mid-December crust layer. I'd expect an improving bond at this interface; however, the load of the new snow may tip the balance and reactivate this layer in isolated terrain - particularly in the north of the region where it's shown prolonged reactivity in snowpack tests.