Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, light southwest wind, freezing level valley bottom.

Monday: Sunny, light northwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level valley bottom.

Tuesday: Increasing cloud, light northwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level valley bottom.

Wednesday: Cloudy, light to moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -6 C, freezing level valley bottom.

A couple of skier triggered size 1 avalanches were reported over the weekend, a wind loaded pocket below a roll-over (here) and isolated loose dry sluffs in the new snow.

Many storm and persistent slab avalanches were observed last week across the region. They were generally large (size 2), on west, north, and east aspects, 20 to 70 cm thick, and between 2000 and 2300 m. Although avalanche activity is becoming smaller and more sporadic, the potential to trigger buried weak layers remains.

5-15 cm of recent snow sits over surface hoar in wind sheltered areas. Lingering wind slabs formed last week may remain reactive on a variety of aspects due to shifting winds.

Two weak layers are buried in close proximity to one another, around 50 to 80 cm deep. The layers are composed of feathery surface hoar and sugary faceted grains and they overly a hard melt-freeze crust. Last week saw substantial avalanche activity on these layers from natural and human triggers. Although reports of such avalanches have been dwindling, these weak layers remain a concern, as they can produce large and destructive avalanches.

• Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
• If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
• Uncertainty is best managed through conservative terrain choices at this time.