A brief return to winter! 20-30 cm of new snow, strong winds, and low freezing levels are forecast to create fresh storm slabs reactive to human triggers by the end of day Saturday.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy / Moderate, southwesterly winds / Alpine low -1 C / Freezing level 1000 m.SATURDAY: Snow; 20-30 cm. (rain below roughly 1000 m.) / Strong, southwesterly winds / Alpine high -1 C / Freezing level 1200 m.SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy / Light, southwesterly winds / Alpine high -1 C / Freezing level 1100 m.MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with flurries; 3-5 cm. / Light, southwesterly winds / Alpine high 2 C / Freezing level 1300 m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported in the region on Thursday. However, avalanche activity is expected to increase on Saturday with the forecast snow and wind.
Snowpack Summary
10-15 mm. of precipitation on Wednesday fell as moist snow at treeline and rain below which sits on a melt freeze crust. Warm temperatures and wet precipitation are producing a moist, spring snowpack. The snowpack depth decreases rapidly below 1200 m.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.