South Coast

Natural and human triggered avalanches are unlikely.

Stepping out into big terrain with good travel habits and group management is appropriate.

Moderate

• The snowpack structure is generally well understood.
• Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.

On Tuesday, small wet loose avalanches and sluffing was observed on solar aspects.

Early in the morning a new surface crust could exist, this crust may breakdown as the freezing level rises and solar input increases.

In some areas, a crust formed on Christmas Eve can be found 30 to 50 cm below the surface.

The Mid December crust is found down 1 to 2 meters. In general the snowpack is right-side up and well settled.

Wednesday Night

Clear skies. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Thursday

Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow at treeline and above, rain at low elevations. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Saturday

Cloudy. 60 mm of rain at treeline and below, snow in the alpine. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2°C. Freezing level 2100 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.