Confidence
Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level around 1700 m. Minimal wind.Sunday: Warm and dry, with increasing cloud and winds increasing from the SW in the afternoon. Freezing level around 1600 m. Monday: Light to moderate precipitation, mostly falling in the early morning. Moderate SW winds. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Avalanche Summary
Recent observations include cornice falls (size 1-2) and glide slab releases to size 3.5. Loose moist avalanches were observed during warm sunny weather earlier in the week.
Snowpack Summary
A generally strong and deep spring snowpack exists. At this time of year, snowpack stability tends to decrease during times of warming (e.g. on slopes receiving sunshine, during rainfall, in the afternoon and at low elevations). A crust layer from late March, buried within the upper 2 m of the snowpack, remains a lingering concern. A melt-freeze crust can be found on all aspects below about 2200 m. On high north aspects, dry snow may still be found. Conditions may be quite icy in the morning, so travel with care. Large cornices threaten slopes and glide slab releases are a possibility, especially in steep rocky terrain.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.