Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Cloud developing overnight combined with light southerly winds and freezing levels down to valley bottoms, and alpine temperatures around -10. A mix of sun and cloud during the day on Sunday with freezing levels rising up to about 1200 metres and light precipitation starting in the late afternoon. Cold arctic air is forecast to descend from the northeast resulting in 3-5 cm of new snow on Monday with alpine temperatures around -20 combined with moderate northerly winds.

No new avalanches reported.

Moderate northerly winds have created some thin windslabs from re-distributing the 5-20 cm of snow that is available for transport at alpine elevations. The surface snow has become facetted due to the cold overnight temperatures, and a new layer of surface hoar has been reported in some areas. Strong solar radiation has resulted in a thin breakable melt-freeze crust on southerly aspects at all elevations. The mid-February crust is reported to be strong, and has been stripped of new snow in many areas by northerly winds. The late-Jan crust/surface hoar layer (up to 100 cm deep) and the mid-January surface hoar (80-120 cm deep) are generally dormant, and chances of triggering these weaknesses have decreased dramatically. However, triggering may be possible with a large input such as cornice fall, or an avalanche stepping down, especially on slopes that see a lot of sun.