Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to limitations in the field data.

MONDAY NIGHT: A low pressure system arrives bringing cloudy skies and up to 15 cm of new snow at the summit of White Pass but only 5 cm around Log Cabin, strong southwest wind with gusts to 80 km/h, treeline temperatures around -6 C.

TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries bringing up to 5 cm of snow, strong wind from the southwest with gusts to 60 km/h, treeline temperatures around -4 C.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy, moderate wind from the southwest, treeline temperatures drop to -8 C.

THURSDAY: Increasing cloud with isolated flurries brining trace amounts of snow, strong wind from the south, treeline temperatures around -5 C.

Reports from White Pass over the weekend were limited to a few small loose wet avalanches along the highway, but there was likely also some natural wind slab activity in the alpine.

Open terrain will experience steady blowing snow on Tuesday as a weak low pressure system crosses the region. Expect to find some fresh soft wind slabs, old hard wind slabs, sastrugi, and scoured surfaces up high. At lower elevations, there have been reports of a thin rime crust around treeline and a hard crust below 1300 m. Pockets of soft snow may be found in sheltered trees. The snowpack structure is generally strong, but some weak and facetted can be found just above the ground.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.
• Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
• Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.