If the sun stays out this afternoon and the solar inputs are high, avalanche hazard will rise. Use caution in these conditions on and below sun effected terrain.
Weather Forecast
A break in the precipitation is forecast today with freezing levels possibly rising to 1800 m this afternoon and alpine temps around +4. The snow will return tonight as freezing levels fall to 1200 m with accumulations around 5-10 cm and moderate SW winds. Flurries stop on Sunday with a warm (freezing levels above 2000 m) and wet Monday forecast.
Snowpack Summary
10-15cm of HST at treeline (deeper in lee alpine terrain) is poorly bonded to a crust below. Over the last few days BTL has received moist snow with rain below 1300m. -6 at treeline overnight would have formed in a good surface crust. The snowpack on solar aspects is warming to near isothermal levels. There are a series of crusts in the top meter.
Avalanche Summary
Little natural avalanche activity was observed yesterday. On Thursday a small natural avalanche cycle occurred mid-day. Avalanches size 2-2.5 with moist deposit were observed east of the Rogers Pass and in the Connaught drainage. One of those avalanches was a glide crack release from 1650 m on a south aspect.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.
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.