Avalanche Forecast

Low - Due to the number of field observations

SATURDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1500mSUNDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light south wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1500mMONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light southwest wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level 1600m

On Saturday, the main concern is lingering wind slabs in high elevation north facing terrain and the possibility of large overhanging cornices releasing with overall warm temperatures over the coming days.

A series of Pacific frontal systems have passed through the region in past few days accumulating 15-25cm of moist new snow tree line and above. In high elevation terrain, recent moderate southwest winds and new snowfall has formed wind slabs in leeward features. At lower elevations and on sun exposed slopes, there are likely moist or wet snow sitting on top of several well bonded crust layers in the upper snowpack. A rain crust which was buried on March 21 extends into the alpine is now down 60-80 cm. This crust was the bed surface for several avalanches during the solar cycle at the end of last week. At elevations above around 2100m, the February persistent weak layers may still be lingering down around 100-150cm and weak basal facets may still be lingering in shallow snowpack areas. These deep weak layers appear to have gone dormant but an isolated avalanche or cornice fall still has the potential to step down in the right conditions.