Make conservative decisions and leave plenty of time to get home safely. Extreme cold temperatures will make any accident more consequential.
Easterly winds have likely formed wind slab on west aspects and cross loaded some features on north and south. Sensitivity to triggering will be greatest near ridge crests.
Saturday night: temperatures could potentially get as low as -40 at 1600m. Winds will be moderate from the east and no new snow expected.
Sunday: sunny with no new snow expected. wind will be moderate from the east in the alpine. High of -35 at 1600m.
Monday: some light flurries in the morning with light to moderate south winds at treeline. Moderate north winds at treeline in the afternoon. High of -29 at 1600m.
Tuesday: moderate to strong north winds with the possibility of some light flurries in the morning. high of -28 at 1600m.
No new avalanches were reported on Friday in the region.
One size 2 skier accidental was reported on Wednesday. This avalanche was a wind slab on a north aspect in the alpine with a slab thickness of 40cm.
Easterly winds have scoured east facing slopes and formed new wind slab on west aspects. Cross loading could exist on all other aspects.
The December 15 surface hoar layer is 10 to 20cm below the surface in sheltered treeline and below . It is likely not a problem yet
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Snowpack depth at treeline typically ranges from 120-220 cm, with higher values in the western part of the region and tapering to the east.
