Avalanche Forecast

High -

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, light south wind, alpine temperature 5 C, freezing level 3100 m.WEDNESDAY: Clear skies, light south wind, alpine temperature 6 C, freezing level 3300 m.THURSDAY: Clear skies, light southeast wind, alpine temperature 5 C, freezing level 3100 m.FRIDAY: Clear skies, light southeast wind, alpine temperature 4 C, freezing level 2900 m.

Many wet loose avalanches were observed on Monday, from small to large (size 1 to 3). They occurred on southeast to southwest aspects and at all elevations. This avalanche cycle is expected to continue, as temperatures remain exceptionally warm and the sun shines strong.

A cohesive slab of snow around 30 to 60 cm thick overlies weak and sugary faceted snow or a melt-freeze crust on sun-exposed slopes. Natural avalanches are expected to continue at this interface.Below treeline, a weak layer of faceted grains and/or feathery surface hoar crystals buried in mid-January can be found around 60 to 100 cm deep, which may be combined with a melt-freeze crust on south aspects. The current warm conditions may awaken this layer, resulting in large, destructive avalanches. Steep cutblocks and large open glades at lower elevations are the most likely places to trigger this layer. Smaller loose wet avalanches may trigger this layer.The lower snowpack is generally consolidated and strong. The exception is around thin, rocky areas in the alpine, where the snowpack is composed of faceted snow. The warm air and sunny skies could trigger very large avalanches that could run to the valley bottom.