Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday

A rather complex pattern is expected to deliver a significant shot of precipitation and wind with a warm to cold trend.  This storm should be most intense Thursday and begin to clear as we enter the weekend.  This is a great time to check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for further details! (Link below)WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 1500 m, strong to extreme southerly wind, about 10 mm of precipitation. THURSDAY: Overcast, freezing level starting at 1500 m, lowering to 600 m by sundown, moderate to strong southerly wind, 20 to 30 mm of precipitation expected.FRIDAY: Broken cloud cover, freezing level holding around 700 m, light southerly wind, 4 to 6 mm of precipitation possible.SATURDAY:  Scattered cloud cover, freezing level beginning around 600 m rising to 1000 m, light variable wind, no significant precipitation expected. 

No significant avalanche activity has been reported recently.  New rain, snow and wind Wednesday night into Thursday will likely generate fresh avalanche activity that will be most pronounced in higher elevation terrain. 

New snow and rain Thursday will fall on a mix of moist grains, crusts and potentially surface hoar/facets on high elevation polar (north and east) aspects.  The storms transition from warm to cold should be largely copacetic for our snowpack, but it does have potential to generate touchy storm slabs at upper elevations.Last week's storm brought up to 15 cm of new snow to the alpine while rain saturated the upper snowpack at treeline and below. Surface conditions on solar aspects and below about 1500 m have been affected by daily melt-freeze cycles. In the limited alpine terrain where the recent precipitation fell as snow, stubborn old wind slabs may remain sensitive to human triggering.Below any recent snow accumulations, the overall snowpack is well settled and strong. Cornices loom over many ridge lines. Cornices become more unstable during the day as the temperature rises, especially when they are receiving direct sun.