Recent storm snow will be sluffing from steep terrain today. Use caution in exposed areas where even small avalanches could knock you off your feet.
Weather Forecast
Today will be a mostly cloudy day with isolated flurries. No significant snowfall is forecast for the day but models show potential for convective activity which can produce localized intense flurries. Ridgetop winds will be Westerly in the 15-25km/hr range and freezing level will reach 1400m.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is generally well settled with 5-10 cm of new snow on the surface. Above treeline this new snow remains dry and unconsolidated burying a previous melt freeze crust that extends up to 2300m on all aspects and to mountain top on solar aspects. Below treeline the upper snowpack contains a series of crusts at or near the surface.
Avalanche Summary
Limited natural avalanche activity over the last couple days with overcast skies and low freezing levels. Expect the new 5-10 cm of snow from overnight to be sluffing from steep terrain today. Of note over the last few days are two size 2 low elevation glide crack releases. Previously we've seen loose wet avalanches on steeper solar aspects.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.