Strong southwest wind will build fresh and reactive wind slabs at upper elevations. Wind slabs have the potential to step down to a deeper weak layer.
Past and ongoing winds have build wind slabs in leeward terrain features at upper elevations. Expect cornice development to accompany with cornice tabs being very weak and likely to fail.
As temperatures and freezing levels rise, a crust/facet layer 50 to 170 cm deep is potentially becoming reactive. Remote triggering and step-down potential continue to be a concern with this layer.
Expect wet loose to be very sensitive to triggering on steep terrain at treeline and below.
No new avalanches reported.
Ongoing and sustained southwest winds combined with light precipitation are continuing to build wind slabs and cornices. Wet snow surfaces may exist as high as 1700 m.
A crust from mid December, surrounded by weak facets, is buried 50 to 170 cm deep, depending on aspect and wind loading.
In thin snowpack areas, faceted grains or depth hoar may exist at the base of the snowpack. Snowpack depths are well above average for this time of year, around 2 m at treeline.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy. 100 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 3400 m.
Wednesday
Cloudy. 3 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 90 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Thursday
Mostly sunny. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 800 m.
Friday
Sunny. 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
