Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Track of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday

Wednesday: Heavy snowfall Tuesday night becoming light on Wednesday / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 1000mThursday: Heavy snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 1000mFriday: Moderate snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 1000m

Numerous natural and human-triggered size 1.5 storm slabs were observed in alpine terrain on Tuesday. With incoming weather I would expect ongoing touchy storm slab activity with increasing size throughout the forecast period.

Between 15 and 30cm of new snow overlies a medley of old surfaces which include: weak surface facets, surface hoar, thin wind slabs, a scoured crust, or any combination thereof. Reports from the field indicate a poor bond between the new snow and these old surfaces. Strong to extreme winds are shifting the new snow into deeper, reactive wind slabs in exposed terrain. With more snow on the way, the reactivity and destructive potential of the developing storm slab should also increase. The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well-settled. Basal facets and depth hoar are likely to exist in some parts of the region, but triggering has become unlikely.