Minimize exposure to steep slopes as temperatures warm through the day, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY NIGHT - Cloudy with clear periods and isolated flurries / west wind, 10-20 km/h / alpine low temperature -2 C / freezing level 1600 m FRIDAY - Wet flurries, up to 5 cm accumulation / southwest wind, 15-35 km/h / alpine high temperature +1 C / freezing level 2100 mSATURDAY - Cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 5 cm accumulation / southwest wind, 20-45 km/h / alpine high temperature -1 C / freezing level 1900 mSUNDAY - Cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 5 cm accumulation / southwest wind, 20 gusting to 65 km/h / alpine high temperature -1 C / freezing level 2000 m
Avalanche Summary
On Monday, small (small 1-1.5) loose-dry and loose-wet avalanches were reported with the accumulated snowfall as well as two small (size 1-1.5) storm slab avalanches triggered with explosives. On Tuesday, snowballing was observed in steep terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Wet flurries and rain have sprinkled a spring snowpack. During the heat of the day and especially under direct sun, the snowpack has become moist or wet, on all but north-facing alpine areas where isolated dry snow persists on a cold, wind-affected snowpack.Lower down in the snowpack, the base is composed of weak facets (sugary snow). In areas that remained more sheltered from the heat (like north-alpine), human triggering of persistent slabs on this layer may still be possible; especially in rocky alpine terrain with a shallow or highly variable depth snowpack.With spring conditions, the avalanche hazard will fluctuate greatly depending on the strength of the overnight freeze and how quickly the snowpack is warmed up each day.
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.