South Rockies

Southwest winds formed slabs that may be reactive to human triggers.

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs are more likely.

On Monday, several skier triggered wind slabs up to size 1 and several explosive triggered storm slabs up to size 2 were reported on a variety of aspects at treeline and above.

On Sunday, a naturally triggered size 3 avalanche was reported on a northeast facing, large, steep, and convex slope in the alpine. The avalanche was observed from a distance and the type is unknown.

Up to 40 cm of recent snow and southwest winds formed slabs that may be reactive to human triggers.

In most areas, the storm snow rests on a melt-freeze crust, except for high elevation north and east facing slopes.

A persistent weak layer of surface hoar or facets from late January is down 50 to 100 cm. Rocky slopes with a convex shape on northerly and easterly facing aspects at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer.

Tuesday Night

Clear skies, 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -10 °C, freezing level valley bottom.

Wednesday

Sunny, 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -4 °C, freezing level 1700 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0-5 cm, 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -4 °C, freezing level 1700 m.

Friday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 3-10 cm snow, 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -3 °C, freezing level 1800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
• If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
• Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.
• Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.
• Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.