Avalanche Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, 20 to 40 km/h west wind, treeline temperature -1 C, freezing level 1000 m.

MONDAY: Snow, accumulation 5 cm, 20 km/h east wind, treeline temperature -3 C, freezing level 600 m.

TUESDAY: Clear skies, 10 km/h north wind, treeline temperature -2 C, freezing level 700 m.

WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy, 10 km/h northwest wind, treeline temperature -1 C, freezing level 800 m.

The surface melt-freeze crust has capped the snowpack and limited avalanche activity where it exists. Any new snow that falls onto this crust is expected to slide easily until the snow bonds to it, which could take a few days. Should you venture to the highest mountain tops in the region, you may come across wind slabs formed on the weekend that could still be triggerable.

Around 5 cm of snow is forecast for Monday, which will fall onto a hard melt-freeze crust up to around 1500 to 1700 m. This snow is expected to slide easily on the crust, but the consequence will be low. Above around 1500 to 1700 m, the weekend's precipitation may have all fallen as snow and formed wind slabs that could still be triggered by riders.

There are numerous other melt-freeze crusts buried in the snowpack, but no recent avalanches or concerning snowpack test results have been observed around them.

• Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
• Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
• When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
• Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when traveling on ridgetops.