Strong winds are redistributing available snow into fresh wind slabs at upper elevations
Minimize exposure to avalanche terrain and overhead hazards during periods of heavy wind loading
Moderate gusting strong west winds have built new wind slabs on lee slopes at upper elevations. Wind slabs are most sensitive to triggering when they are newly formed. Look for signs of wind transport as you move through the terrain.
On Tuesday, a skier-triggered size 1 wind slab avalanche was reported. The avalanche was 15 to 20 cm deep and occurred in a steep north-facing couloir. See MIN for details!
If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a MIN report!
Strong west winds are building fresh wind slabs in lee terrain at upper elevations. Unconsolidated snow can still be found in sheltered areas. Below this is 30 to 50 cm of settling snow.
Below 1500 m elevation a previously moist surface is now dense and refrozen.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled and stable.
Snow depths at treeline range from 140 to 220 cm.
Tuesday Night
Cloudy with light flurries, 1 to 2 cm. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with light flurries, 1 cm. 15 to 25 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Friday
Cloudy with light flurries, 1 to 4 cm. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
