Be aware of snow conditions that change with elevation and from one aspect to another. Thin storm slabs may exist in the alpine while crusts on sunny and lower elevation slopes may become moist or wet with sun or daytime warming.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light, west. Alpine temperature near -6. Freezing level 1500 m.TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation up to 4 cm. Ridge wind light, southwest. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1500 m.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 5-10 cm. Ridge wind light, south. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1600 m.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no new reports of avalanches within the region since Wednesday when there were reports of several natural, loose, wet avalanches up to size 1.5 on south aspects at all elevations, as well as a skier triggered wind slab (size 1) on a northeast aspect at 2300 m.And on Tuesday there were two size 1.5 skier triggered wind slab avalanches reported on north and northwest aspects in the alpine. Reports earlier in the week primarily included wet loose avalanches to size 2 in steeper terrain on sunny aspects.
Snowpack Summary
A light dusting (5-15 cm) of snow covers a crust on all but high elevation northerly aspects, which still hold dry snow. Below 1800 m, a supportive surface crusts exists on all aspects and will likely breakdown with daytime warming, becoming moist in the afternoon. Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators. They are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, a large cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
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.