New snow and northeast wind are expected to form wind slabs in lee features at upper elevations that will likely be reactive to triggering. Stay alert to changing conditions on Sunday.
Snow totals are expected to vary across the region, but areas that see upslope enhancement may receive up to 15 cm accumulate by late afternoon on Sunday. The new snow combined with moderate northeast winds will likely form a reactive wind slab problem in lee terrain features.
Cornices are large and fragile. Cornice falls could trigger avalanches on the slopes below.
An upslope storm will bring varying snow totals to the region, favoring the eastern slopes.
Saturday night: Mostly clear, light west wind, alpine temperature near 0 C, freezing level 2900 m.
Sunday: Cloudy, 5-15 cm of snow, winds becoming northeast and increasing to moderate, alpine high temperature +1 C, freezing level dropping through the day to 1300 m.
Monday: Mostly cloudy, light northerly winds, alpine high temperature -2 C, freezing level 1700 m.
Tuesday: Mainly sunny, light northerly winds, alpine high temperature -2 C, freezing level 2300 m.
Natural wet loose avalanches, ranging from size 1-2.5, were reported over the past few days.
An upslope storm is expected to bring enhanced snowfall to favored eastern slopes in the region throughout the day on Sunday. Amounts will generally range from 5-10 cm with pockets of up to 15 cm possible in favored areas. Precipitation will likely start as rain, further complicating the amount of snow forecast. Moderate northeast winds with strong ridgetop gusts will likely build a new reactive wind slab problem throughout the day. Cornices are large and fragile. Cornice falls could trigger avalanches on the slopes below.
The snowpack is overall strong and settled in most areas. However, steep and rocky alpine slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack may still harbor deeply buried weak layers. Glide cracks releasing as full depth glide slab avalanches become more common in the spring and are extremely difficult to predict. Best practice is to avoid slopes with glide cracks.
The snow line is slowly creeping up the mountains, making some access areas snow-free.
