Warm temperatures may create tricky conditions this weekend. Although the region is not included in the avalanche warning, deeper layers in the snowpack may become active. Approach the mountains cautiously, with your eyes open, and maybe even expect surprises.
Strong to extreme winds are forecasted. Expect to find more reactive depositions in open terrain and steep, convex features. Cornices may be extra touchy and fail naturally with solar input or daytime heating.
Rising temperatures may quickly destabilize recent snow. Be mindful around steep solar slopes when the sun is out.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Warm air aloft will maintain elevated freezing levels and prevent overnight crust recovery. Strong gusting to extreme ridgetop wind from the west, overnight high temperatures near 0 C as freezing level drops below 1400 m.
SUNDAY: Broken skies in the morning with increasing cloud through day. Gusty moderate west-northwest wind. Ridgetop high temperatures near 0 C in the afternoon, with freezing level between 1500 and 2000 m.
MONDAY: Isolated flurries overnight, clearing to a sunny sky in the afternoon. Moderate northwest wind, daytime high temperatures dropping to -3 C, and freezing level dropping to valley bottom.
TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Gusty increasing west wind. High temperature -4 C. Freezing level at valley bottom, possible inversion.
Small (size 1-1.5) storm slab and loose dry avalanches avalanches were reported late Thursday with new snow and wind, particularly where more than 30 cm of snow accumulated and wind exceeded 25 km / hr.
Strong westerly winds have stiffened 20-40 cm recent storm snow in open areas at treeline and throughout the alpine. Gusty winds may have loaded terrain further downslope than usual.
The lower snowpack is generally strong and bonded, with one or multiple crusts near the ground. We suspect the lower snowpack could be weak in shallow rocky wind-affected slopes east of the divide.
