Dangerous avalanche conditions, natural and human-triggered avalanches are likely. Don't let storm day fever lure you into big terrain features
Weak faceted grains have formed above and below a crust that is buried 30 to 60 cm. There is potential for storm slabs to overload this layer, triggering much larger avalanches.
Storm slabs will be building on all aspects, but are expected to be deeper and more reactive on lee northerly and easterly slopes near ridgetops.
On Saturday ski cutting produced numerous small avalanches in the reactive storm slab in the Lizard Range.
This MIN from last Thursday details a skier-triggered avalanche on the crust/facet layer found throughout the region.
With significant snowfall and strong wind in the forecast, the likelihood of both natural and human-triggered avalanches is primed to increase throughout the stormy period and remain elevated for several days.
15 to 30 cm of new snow is expected to accumulate by the end of the day on Monday. This new snow will add to previous storm snow totals of around 20 cm.
Combined, the snow will be covering a sun crust on south and west-facing slopes and below treeline elevations. On north and east-facing upper-elevation slopes the storm snow and southwesterly winds are expected to form thicker and more reactive storm slabs.
A widespread crust formed in early February is buried 40 to 80 cm. In some areas, weak faceted grains have formed above and/or below the crust. The new snow may overload this layer creating very large avalanches.
Sunday Night
Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of new snow. 50 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Snow/rain line around 1200 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 25 km/h variable ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 5 to 15 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
