Today's unusual hazard rating is due to a weak layer of surface hoar that exists primarily at lower elevations. Be suspect of steep features such as open glades and gullies.
Confidence
Moderate - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY NIGHT - Mainly cloudy / southwest winds, 15-20 km/h / alpine low temperature near -10WEDNESDAY - A mix of sun and cloud / west winds 20-30 km/h / alpine high temperature near -7THURSDAY - Mainly cloudy with sunny periods / southwest winds 20-30 km/h / alpine high temperature near -4 / freezing level 1400 mFRIDAY - Cloudy with scattered flurries / southwest winds, 20-30 km/h / alpine high temperature near -3
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface is likely a crust on south facing slopes at all elevations, and on all aspects below approximately 1500 m.15-35 cm of snow is sitting on a weak layer of surface hoar (feathery crystals), which is most prominent around treeline and below. On sun-exposed slopes, the surface hoar may be sitting on a sun crust, and below treeline it may be sitting on a melt-freeze crust on all aspects.In shallow snowpack areas, the base of the snowpack is composed of facets (sugary snow). In deeper snowpack areas, the middle and lower portions of the snowpack appear to be generally strong.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.