Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Thursday

The ridge of high pressure is expected to bring clear skies and colder temperatures to the region on Wednesday. The temperature in the alpine should be about -15.0 and the winds should increase to about 40 km/hr from the west-northwest by Wednesday evening. Cloud and light precipitation should move into the region from the Pacific during the day on Thursday. This system is expected to bring 5-10 cm of snow to higher elevations. Thin cloud and increasing upper elevation winds are expected for Friday.

Several small skier controlled avalanches in 35 degree terrain failing down about 20 cm.

Very strong southwest winds have transported the storm snow into windslabs in the alpine and at treeline. There is a new rain crust below 1500 metres and an old rain crust that is buried down about a metre below the 1600 metre elevation. The mid-pack is reported to be strong, and I have not heard anyone talk about early season layers deep in the snowpack. That being said, there is still a lot of variation due to the strong winds that have accompanied most storms this winter in the region. I would continue to be suspect of thin snowpack areas.