Avalanche Forecast

High

• Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern with little change expected.

Debris is still visible from large avalanches that ran during the warm wet conditions early last week. In the past 3 days, reports of avalanche activity has been limited to:

• a few cornice falls

• pinwheeling and small loose wet avalanches out of steep solar aspects at alpine and treeline elevations

This type of activity is becoming less likely with cooling alpine temperatures and repeated melt-freeze cycling on solar aspects.

A widespread melt-freeze crust extends up to at least 2200 m. This crust may break down on steep south-facing slopes during the day. On shady aspects in the high alpine, dry snow is wind affected and firm. Cornices loom large.

The prominent mid-December facet/crust layer is buried over 1 m deep and extends up to 2200 m. Triggering the crust is considered unlikely, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.

Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Monday
Mostly sunny. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Above freezing layer 2000 to 3000 m.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 1 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.