Newly formed slabs could be touchy to riders.
Newly formed storm slabs may not bond will to underlying layers, including weak surface hoar or facets on northerly terrain, or a hard melt-freeze crust elsewhere. Deeper deposits may be found in lee terrain features near ridges.
Wet loose activity is possible on sun-exposed slopes during the heat of the day, particularly if the skies clear.
Thursday saw widespread small (size 1) storm slab and loose avalanches in alpine terrain.
Looking forward, riders could trigger storm slabs within the recent snow. They could be particularly reactive on steep northerly terrain at higher elevations. Loose wet activity may also become reactive during the heat of the day on sun-exposed slopes.
Around 10 to 25 cm of snow fell on Thursday above 1000 m and another 5 to 15 cm is possible by the end of Friday. All this new snow sits on surface hoar crystals that overly faceted or wind affect snow on northerly alpine terrain or a hard melt-freeze crust elsewhere. Thicker deposits may be found in lee terrain features near ridgetop. Sun-exposed slopes could moisten with daytime heating, particularly if the skies clear.
A widespread crust that formed in early February is buried anywhere from 80 to 150 cm deep. This crust has a weak layer of faceted grains above it that are slowly strengthening. This layer is currently dormant.
The remainder of the snowpack is settled.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Saturday
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Sunday
Clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
