Be alert to conditions that change with daytime warming. Danger ratings are likely to exceed posted levels if solar radiation is strong, especially at treeline and below.
Confidence
Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain for the entire period
Weather Forecast
Thursday: A weak high pressure system builds promoting clear and dry conditions with light westerly winds and 1800m freezing levels.Friday: An upper trough of low pressure will move over the Interior late Thursday through Friday bringing light to locally moderate precipitation. Freezing levels will be around 1400m. Winds light to moderate from the west.Saturday: Overcast with light precipitation possible. Winds light from the south.
Avalanche Summary
Natural wet-loose avalanches up to Size 2.5 continue to be reported from throughout the region on solar aspects at all elevations. Isolated cornice releases up to 2.0 have also been reported.
Snowpack Summary
Clear, warm days and cold nights have brought spring's daily melt freeze cycle to the surface snow on sunny aspects into the alpine and all aspects at lower elevations (below 1800m). On high shaded terrain surface hoar is growing, and warm temperatures have promoted settlement within the upper snowpack. Cornices are very large!The March 10th surface hoar/crust interface is buried more than 100cm in most places. Although unlikely to trigger, this deep persistent weakness remains a concern because of the potential for very large avalanches particularly with heavy triggers such as cornice falls or lighter triggers on solar aspects where the crust is more prevalent. Below this the snowpack is well settled.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.