Avoid avalanche terrain.
The region is experiencing a widespread, natural avalanche cycle.
Avalanches will be large and may run full path.
Multiple weak layers, buried up to 2.5 m deep, continue to produce surprising avalanches . Avalanches failing on these layers have been large and destructive.
Natural storm slabs could initiate at high elevations and run below treeline. These large avalanches could also step down to buried weak layers, resulting in very large avalanches.
On Monday a natural storm slab avalanche cycle began. Avalanches occurred on all aspects and elevations. Most of the avalanches that were reported were size 2.5 but avalanches up to size 3 have been reported. We suspect that larger avalanches have occurred but observations have been limited due to poor visibility.
Recent snowfall amounts throughout the region have been variable; 30 to 100 cm of storm snow has been redistributed into deep deposits on north and east aspects. Ongoing rain has saturated the upper snowpack below treeline. A thick crust from earlier this month can be found down 70 to 120 cm at treeline and below.
Three concerning weak layers of surface hoar, facets and/or crust that formed in January and February are found down 100 to 250 cm deep.
The lower snowpack is well settled and bonded.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy. 10 to 15 mm of rain at treeline, snow in the alpine. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.
Thursday
Cloudy. 5 to 20 mm of mixed precipitation at treeline, rain at lower elevations. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Friday
Cloudy. 15 to 40 mm of mixed precipitation at treeline, rain below. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2°C. Freezing level 2300 m.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
