Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, freezing level below valley bottom.FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, moderate to strong southwest winds, alpine temperature -2 C, freezing level 1400 m.SATURDAY: Cloudy with morning snowfall and afternoon clearing, accumulation 5 to 15 cm, moderate southwest winds, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level below valley bottom.SUNDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 to 10 cm, light northeast winds, alpine temperature -24 C, freezing level below valley bottom.

A small wind slab avalanche was triggered by a skier on Thursday on an easterly aspect. The likelihood may increase with incoming snow with strong southwest winds.

Snowfall should begin on Friday, which will fall with strong southwest winds. Once enough snow falls, expect to find new wind slabs form in lee and cross-loaded terrain features near ridges. The new snow will overly feathery surface hoar crystals, previously wind-affected snow, and a melt-freeze crust on southerly aspects.Buried around 10 to 40 cm, a weak layer of surface hoar may be found on shady and sheltered slopes. Use added caution between 1500 m and 1900 m, where this layer is most prominent. On southerly aspects, the snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust all the way to the mountain tops.The remainder of the snowpack is generally well-settled. Thin snowpack areas, such as in the east of the region, may find weak and sugary faceted grains near the base of the snowpack.