Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Monday

Synopsis: The shockingly robust and long lived ridge of high pressure persists through the weekend. It finally breaks down on Sunday opening the door to a string of frontal systems that are queuing up in the Eastern Pacific.Sunday: Sky: Sunny; Freezing Level: Valley Bottom; Precip: Nil Wind: Light, VariableMonday: Sky: Overcast; Freezing Level: 600m; Precip: 5/10 cm Wind: Light, SW | Strong W/SW at ridgetop. Monday night: Strong SW winds at all elevations. Extreme at ridge top.Tuesday: Sky: Overcast; Freezing Level: 800m; Precip: 10/15cm Wind: Light, SW | Strong SW at ridgetop.

Avalanche activity over the last three days has been limited to surface sluffing resulting in loose snow avalanches to size 1 in steep terrain at all elevations.

A small front came through the region on January 29th leaving around 10 cm of snow in it's wake. Outflow winds (out of the N/NW) have formed small wind slabs in wind exposed terrain at and above treeline. Well settled faceted snow can be found on the surface in wind protected features. Just below the surface a weak layer exists that consists of large surface hoar (widespread in most sheltered and shaded areas at all elevations), a sun crust on south facing slopes, faceted grains (in colder areas or areas with a thinner snowpack), or a combination of the above. This variable weak layer is expected to become a significant problem early next week when it finally starts snowing again. The rest of the upper and mid-snowpack are generally well consolidated. A facet/crust weakness near the bottom of the snowpack has gone dormant for now but may rear it's ugly head again in the future. The depth of this layer makes triggering an avalanche unlikely but the consequences would be very serious.