Avalanche Forecast

Low

Reports have been very limited in this region. No avalanches have been reported since Tuesday, when a size 3.5 persistent slab was observed on a north alpine face that likely failed last weekend. Several loose wet avalanches on sunny slopes were also observed in this MIN post.

Please consider sharing your observations to the MIN.

Up to 15 cm of snow from Saturday sits over wet or crusty surfaces. On all but high north-facing alpine slopes, the upper snowpack is wet. Below 1800 m, it has melted substantially.

A persistent weak layer of facets and surface hoar from February is now 90 to 150 cm deep, and a layer of facets and surface hoar from late January is buried 110 to 190 cm. These layers remain a concern, especially in the south and eastern parts of the region where the overall snowpack is shallower. Otherwise, the snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.

Saturday night

Clearing. 5 to 15 km/h variable ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level dropping to 1000 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 20 to 40 km/h southeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.

Monday

Cloudy, with 5 to 15 cm of snow above 1400 m, rain below. 15 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy, with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.
• In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and slopes above cliffs.
• Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.