Recent snow has been most reactive in wind-loaded terrain features. Buried weak layers continue to be an active avalanche problem.
Wind slabs sitting over a weak layer of facets have shown wide propagation and sensitivity to human triggers. Avoid areas of wind-loaded snow in leeward terrain features at upper elevations.
This problem encompasses two active weak layers. A layer of facets is buried 30-50 cm deep and a crust/facet/surface hoar layer 60-90 cm deep. Avalanches have been observed on both of these layers in recent days.
Storm slabs and persistent slabs have been reactive in recent days, both naturally and to human triggers. Storm slabs have shown high sensitivity with wide propagation and remote triggers, averaging size 1.5-2. Persistent slab avalanches have been large, size 2-3.
Ongoing flurries continue to accumulate. 30-50 cm of recent snow sits on facets formed during the mid January cold snap. At upper elevations, this snow has been redistributed by wind.
A few layers of note exist in the mid snowpack. Another crust/facet/surface hoar layer buried in early January is now 60-90 cm deep. A layer of surface hoar buried in early December is now 130+ cm deep. This layer is of most concern above 2000 m where a robust crust doesn't exist above it.
Thursday night
Around 5 cm of new snow. Southwest alpine wind 40 km/h. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries bring a trace of new snow. Southwest alpine wind 30-40 km/h. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with flurries brining a few cm of new snow. Southwest alpine wind 30-40 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with around 10 mm of mixed precip. Southwest alpine wind 40-50 km/h. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
