Avoid avalanche terrain.
Warm, stormy weather continues, and natural avalanches remain likely.
Avalanches could be very large and may run full path.
Multiple weak layers buried up to 2.5 m continue to produce surprising avalanches. Avalanches failing on these layers have been very 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, and it has continued into Thursday. Avalanches occurred on all aspects and elevations, and were a mix of slab and loose, wet and dry. Most of the avalanches that were reported were size 2.5 but avalanches up to size 4 have been reported.
Looking forward to Tuesday, we expect that this natural avalanche cycle will continue due to warm temperatures, and moderate to heavy precipitation.
Recent snowfall amounts throughout the region have been variable; 40 to 70 cm of settling storm snow has been redistributed into deep deposits on north and east aspects on the highest peaks. Ongoing rain has saturated the upper snowpack at and below treeline. Moist surface snow continues up to mountain tops in most places.
A thick crust buried earlier in March 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.
Thursday Night
Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline, with possible hotspots of up to 30 mm. 30-60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Average freezing level 2100 m, as high as 2800 m in the south end of the forecast area.
Friday
Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline with possible hotspots of 30 mm or more. 45-70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Average freezing level 2200 m, as high as 2800 m in the south end of the forecast area.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
