All blow and no snow! Strong wind and light snowfall may form fresh and reactive wind slabs at higher elevations.
Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.
New snow and southerly winds may form reactive wind slabs in lee areas in the alpine and isolated, exposed areas at treeline.
Use caution entering lee terrain features below ridges. The snow could slide easily where it rests on a hard melt-freeze crust, surface hoar, or faceted snow.
Cornices are large this time of year and were likely weakened by recent cold temperatures. Exposure to cornices should be minimized, especially during periods of warm temperatures or strong sun. Give them a wide berth when you are travelling on ridge lines and avoid overhead exposure to large cornices.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm of accumulation. Light to moderate southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1400 m.
SATURDAY: Cloudy with flurries, 2 to 5 cm of accumulation. Moderate to strong southerly winds. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with light flurries. Moderate to strong southeasterly winds. Freezing level rising to 1700 m.
MONDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, up to 5 cm of accumulation. Light southwesterly winds. Freezing level around 1100 m.
Several wet loose avalanches (size 1-2) were observed on steep solar aspects on Thursday afternoon as a result of strong solar radiation.
Looking forward to Saturday, fresh wind slabs may form in lee areas in the alpine and exposed treeline. Wet loose avalanches will be possible at low elevations with rain and warm temperatures. These avalanches will likely be limited to small releases on isolated slopes in extreme terrain.
Reports are limited at this time of year. Please let us know what you're seeing by filling out a MIN report!
New snow and southerly winds are expected to create fresh deposits of wind slab in the alpine and exposed treeline. This 5-10 cm of new snow overlies a heavily wind-affected surface in exposed terrain, the product of an intense wind event early last week. In sheltered areas, the upper snowpack is faceted from recent cold temperatures, and surface hoar may exist in isolated areas. A crust can be found on steep solar aspects and at low elevations from warm temperatures and solar radiation. A more widespread melt-freeze crust can be found 20 to 50 cm deep in most areas, and up to 80 cm in the snowiest parts of the region. This crust is near the surface below 1200 m.
