Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain.

Wednesday night - Snow, 5-10 cm / moderate west wind / alpine low temperature near -9 / freezing level at or near valley bottom

Thursday - A mix of sun and cloud / light to moderate northwest wind / alpine high temperature near -8 / freezing level 1100 m

Friday - Snow, 10-15 cm / strong southwest wind / alpine high temperature near -7 / freezing level 900 m 

Saturday - Mainly sunny / light to moderate northwest wind / alpine high temperature near -7 / freezing level 1200 m

Reactive wind slabs may be found on a variety of aspects due to changing wind directions.

A natural avalanche cycle was observed in the region on Saturday during the storm. On Sunday, there were a few size 1-1.5 human triggered wind slab avalanches reported. This MIN describes triggering a small wind slab in large terrain. There were a few small dry loose avalanches reported on Tuesday.

5-10 cm of snow accumulated throughout the day on Wednesday, and another 5-10 is expected to fall on Wednesday night. This adds to the 20 cm that fell over the weekend. The recent precipitation likely fell as rain below around 1000 m. Moderate to strong winds have likely formed wind slabs in lee terrain features.

The new snow sits on a crust on sun-exposed aspects, and on all aspects below 1600 m, and on soft snow or wind slabs on north aspects. 

Cornices are large and looming along ridgelines. Their release is unpredictable, requiring a large berth if you're travelling above or below them.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Be aware of highly variable recent wind loading patterns.
• Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.