Regions
Northwest Inland.
Be alert to conditions that change with daytime warming. Danger ratings may exceed posted levels when solar radiation is strong.
Confidence
Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions
Weather Forecast
No precipitation is expected for the forecast period. Although high cloud is forecast on Saturday, generally clear skies are expected on Sunday and Monday.Winds will be light from the west on Saturday, generally calm on Sunday, then switching to light and southwesterly Monday.Freezing levels will hover at about 1300m on Saturday, 2400m on Sunday and then 1900m on Monday.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous loose wet avalanches have occurred from steeper solar aspects up to size 2.0. Size 2 cornice releases have also been noted. A size 2 natural was also reported in Morning Bowl in the Hankin area. It reportedly failed down to rocks in shallow places on a convex roll. I would expect more of this activity with forecast warming.
Snowpack Summary
Surface snow has settled with the influence of warm temperatures and surface hoar is growing on shaded slopes. Solar aspects and lower elevation terrain are now well into a daily melt-freeze cycle. 30 - 60 cm of snow overlies a crust, old wind slabs or surface hoar layer buried on March 9th. Reports suggest this layer is less reactive, but may still be a concern in some areas. The distribution of the surface hoar is also highly variable and it may not exist in every drainage. I would still remain conservative and continue to dig and test before diving into my line. Deeper in the snowpack, basal facets may resurface as a concern with forecast warming.Cornices have become well-developed and could easily become unstable during periods of warm weather or direct solar radiation.
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.
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.