Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Tuesday: Periods of snow 5-10 cm. The freezing level is near 1400 m and winds are moderate to strong from the SW. Wednesday: Another 5-10 cm of snow should accumulate before tapering off throughout the day. The freezing level is near 1400-1600 m and ridge winds ease from moderate westerly to light. Thursday: Cloudy with flurries. The freezing level remains near 1400-1600 m and wind increase to moderate from the SW.

No new avalanches were observed on Sunday. You will likely find fresh touchy wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain. These wind slabs should increase in size and likelihood throughout the week with continued light snow and moderate ridge winds. Late last week there were a couple reports of failing cornices triggering persistent slabs up to 60 cm deep on slopes below.

5-15 cm of new snow overlies a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects and lower elevation terrain, and might be covering a layer of surface hoar on shady and sheltered slopes at treeline and in the alpine. Fresh wind slabs are likely in exposed lee and cross-loaded terrain. The surface hoar and/or crust layer buried in mid-February is now down 40-70cm. This layer was less reactive over the weekend with cooler temperatures. Large weak cornices remain concerning and have recently triggered persistent slabs on slopes below. The early January surface hoar/facet layer is typically down 70-120cm. Triggering an avalanche on this layer has become unlikely but it still has isolated potential to produce very large avalanches with a heavy trigger. In general, the lower snowpack is well settled and strong, apart from some thin snowpack areas where basal facets exist.