The size and likelihood of triggering an avalanche will increase with incoming weather. Adjust your terrain choices appropriately.
Storm slab formation is ongoing, and the potential for triggering these slabs is increasing. Buried surface hoar could become progressively more sensitive.
No recent avalanches have been reported. However, we do expect both natural and human-triggered avalanches to increase through the weekend.
Please consider posting a MIN if you are heading out in the backcountry!
By Saturday morning, as much as 30 cm of new snow may have accumulated in the past 24 hours. Westerly winds are redistributing new snow into deeper deposits on leeward slopes at higher elevations.
Roughly 40 to 60 cm of recent snow now overlies a variety of old surfaces, from surface hoar and facets in sheltered terrain, a thin sun crust on south-facing slopes, and firm, previously wind-affected surfaces at higher elevations.
The mid and lower snowpack includes various crust layers from November.
Snow depths at treeline vary from about 60 to 120 cm and decrease dramatically at lower elevations.
Friday Night
Cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
Saturday
Cloudy. 10 to 15 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.
Sunday
Cloudy. 4 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 900 m.
Monday
Cloudy. 2 to 10 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
