Avalanche Forecast

Many storm slab and loose wet avalanches released during the intense rainy conditions earlier this week.

For Friday, riders could trigger storm slabs from new snow that rests on the moist snowpack or hard melt-freeze crust. We're uncertain on whether avalanches could still release on the surface hoar layer described in the Snowpack Summary, so travelling cautiously for now is a good strategy.

Upwards of 30 to 40 cm of snow may accumulate by Friday, with the most found at high elevations. This snow rests on a wet upper snowpack from intense rain. The wet snow will start to freeze into a hard-melt freeze crust. All of this has loaded a weak layer of surface hoar buried about 50 cm deep, which may have been destroyed by the intense rain.

The middle and lower snowpack are likely moist from all the rain and will slowly freeze into a hard crust.

Snowpack depths are generally between 50 and 100 cm at treeline, which quickly tapers as you lower with elevation.

Thursday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow and locally higher amounts possible, northwest alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, treeline temperature -5 °C.

Friday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of morning snow, northwest alpine wind 20 km/h, treeline temperature -8 °C.

Saturday

Increasing cloud with 2 to 5 cm of afternoon snow, south alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature -9 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow, south alpine wind 20 km/h, treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
• Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.
• Be cautious of buried obstacles especially below treeline.