Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to rapidly fluctuating freezing levels.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud and freezing levels rising through the day to 2500 m. 

Friday: Cloudy with gusty ridgetop wind. Up to 20 mm forecast overnight Thursday and freezing levels drop to 1000 m on Friday. 

Saturday: Cloudy with light to moderate West wind. Freezing levels spike to 1900 m.

No new avalanches reported on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, numerous wet loose avalanches and small glide avalanches were reported. 

Depending on how warm the temperatures get on Thursday, another round of loose wet avalanches may happen by Thursday afternoon from steeper terrain features. Avoid slopes that have overhead hazards like cornices. 

The recent storm saw 100 mm of precipitation by early Wednesday morning, with it falling mostly as rain to the mountain tops. As the temperatures rapidly dropped overnight Tuesday, some precipitation fell as snow in alpine locations. Only the highest peaks may have received snow possibly forming reactive storm/ wind slabs in those higher locations.

At treeline and below a rain-soaked/ saturated snowpack will form a firm crust as the temperatures drop Wednesday. This crust may start to break down mid-day on Thursday due to rising freezing levels. 

At treeline elevations, the mid-pack consists of several buried crusts, and the remainder of the snowpack is well-consolidated.

• Choose conservative terrain and watch for clues of instability.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
• Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially when the snow is moist or wet.
• The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.