A good time to avoid avalanche terrain. High freezing levels and precipitation, both rain and snow will overload the snowpack and we expect a large natural cycle with avalanches capable of running full path, well in to valley bottom.
With the predicted warm weather coming, expect the recent snow to settle quickly. If the sun comes out we may see the reactivity of the wind slabs increase. Pay attention to temperatures, particularly on south aspects.
A layer of facets above and below sun crusts on solar aspects and hard wind pressed drought surfaces on polar aspects.
This will become more reactive as the day time temperatures climb and if the snow comes more as rain at lower elevations.
No field team along the spray today, Weather stations temperatures above zero along the highway elevation ~1800m. Suspect loose wet on steep below treeline features and new wind slab activity in the alpine.
No field teams today, suspect the top 5-15cm of the snowpack below 2200m is wet from the ongoing warm temps and precip falling as rain. No overnight freeze expected, so the snowpack will continue to saturate and the wet snow get deeper into the snowpack. On the surface above the freezing level, new snow is falling with strong to extreme winds building new reactive wind slabs.
As this storm slams into the rockies, The freezing levels remain moderately high, 2200m and the precip is falling as rain at that elevation and below.
Winds: A westerly flow continues, extreme winds at ridge top.
Temps: freezing levels rising to 2300m on Wednesday and day time high of -1 in the alpine.
Snow amounts:
Tuesday evening: 6cm
Wednesday: 9cm
Thursday: 36cm
Friday: 9cm
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
