Below the freezing line, the potential for wet loose avalanches still exists.
Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially where snow is moist or wet.
Rain has thoroughly saturated the snowpack causing surface snow to lose cohesion. Below the freezing line, loose wet avalanches remain possible on steep slopes.
A few natural wet loose avalanches, size 1, were reported at treeline on Saturday.
Backcountry users should expect to see evidence of a wet loose avalanche cycle from this week's rain event.
Thanks for the observations and please continue to post your reports and photos to the Mountain Information Network. It is really helpful for forecasters!
Up to 100 mm of rain, this week has saturated the snowpack at all elevations. The snowpack at treeline and below is now isothermal to the ground. A few crusts formed in early January and late December can still be found within the snowpack but they are rapidly breaking down.
Saturday Night
Cloudy. Southeast winds of 25 km/h. Ridgetop low-temperature +3C. Freezing levels 1500 m.
Sunday
Mainly cloudy. Light variable winds gusting 20 km/h. Ridgetop high-temperature +5C. Freezing levels 1500 m.
The next storm impacts the coast Sunday night. Rain will change to snow, 15-25 mm. Winds remain light. Freezing levels will fall to 1000 m.
Monday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries tapering off in the afternoon, 2-10 mm. Light variable winds gusting 20 km/h. Ridgetop high-temperature +2C. Freezing levels 1000 m.
Tuesday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, 15-30 mm. Southwesterly winds increase from moderate to strong through the day, gusting 60 km/h. Ridgetop high-temperature -1C. Freezing levels 800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
