Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
Expect increased cloud on Thursday with trace amounts of snowfall. Light snowfall should occur sporadically throughout friday and Saturday morning with possible clearing by Saturday afternoon. Winds are expected to be light and westerly trending to light and variable by Saturday. Freezing levels are forecast to trend from 1100m to 1400m throughout the forecast period.
Avalanche Summary
Large chunks of cornice fall have been reported in recent days with limited effect on the slope below. Minor radiation sluffs on steep solar aspects. Otherwise, no new activity to report.
Snowpack Summary
Very warm alpine temperatures recently melted surface snow layers. A crust (or moist snow, depending on the time of day) now exists to ridge top on solar aspects. Large weak cornices are plentiful and recently developed wind slabs may exist in certain areas. The upper snowpack appears to be settling well. Below about 1500m, crust/facet layers buried in early January are still causing operators concern. If you're traveling in the mountains now is a great time to take stock of current surface conditions (surface hoar, crusts) that will be an issue when is snows again.
Problems
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.