Avalanche Forecast

There have been no reports of avalanches in our area over the last few days. This is not to say that they are not occurring. At this time of year, there have been few observations. Avalanche activity has been expected to increase and continue until the snow settles.

Please continue to submit MIN reports and support your backcountry community.

Depending on where you are in the region, 2 to 20 cm of snow will be added to the up to 30 cm of snow that fell this past weekend. The upper snowpack is generally faceted upper snowpack. Down about 50 cm, expect to find a surface hoar in sheltered terrain at treeline. On north and east-facing slopes in the alpine wind slab formation is expected.

The mid-pack is generally unconsolidated. A crust with sugary facets beneath it can be found just above the ground.

The snowpack is still shallow for this time of year. The average snowpack depth at treeline range from 55 to 80 cm.

Tuesday Night

Cloudy with clear periods, trace accumulation, alpine winds southwest 25 to 35 km/h, freezing level around 1500 m.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, 5 to 8 cm accumulation at higher elevations, alpine winds southwest 20 to 35 km/h, treeline temperatures -2 to -6 °C.

Thursday

Mix of sun and cloud, trace accumulation, alpine winds west 10 to 20 km/h, treeline temperatures around -7 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy, 2 cm accumulation, alpine winds west 20 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures around -10 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
• Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
• Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.