Watch for wind slabs forming over the day as southerly winds increase. Small avalanches may step down to deeper weak layers in the snowpack.
Stay cautious of areas where the snowpack depth changes rapidly, such as thin and rocky start zones.
Low density snow on the surface is available for southerly winds to redistribute into pockets of wind slab in north facing terrain.
Small avalanches in wind loaded features have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers creating larger then expected avalanches.
Multiple weak layers persist deep in the snowpack and have produced large avalanches in neighboring regions.
Most concerning are layers of facet, crust and/or surface hoar buried 30-50 cm deep, and a layer of facets near the base of the snowpack. Although widespread, both layers appear to be most reactive around treeline and lower alpine elevations, in terrain with shallow, variable snow depths.
No recent avalanche activity has been reported in the region. However, there have been several recent reports of large human-triggered avalanches in neighboring regions.
Please continue to share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.
Roughly 30 to 50 cm of low-density snow overlies a generally weak, facetted snowpack with multiple buried weak layers. As southerly winds increase expect wind slabs to build in north facing terrain. New wind slabs may sit over a layer of reactive surface hoar and or crust.
A layer large and weak facets sits in the bottom of the snowpack, buried in November.
Snowpack depth is roughly 150 cm at treeline.
Wednesday Night
Some cloud with strong southerly winds developing. No snowfall expected. Freezing levels below valley bottom.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud, with flurries bringing trace amounts of snow. Moderate to strong southeast winds. Freezing level rises to 500 m, alpine high of -4 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries. Moderate southwest winds. Freezing levels rise to 600 m. Alpine high of -3 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries. Moderate southwest winds. Freezing levels rise to 600 m. Alpine high of -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
