7:00 AM update: Dangerous avalanche conditions will exist with the arrival of new snow, mild temperatures, and increasing wind.
Weak layers from recent dry, clear, and cold conditions persist within the upper 100 cm of snow. These layers could become more reactive with the added stress of new snow and warming temperatures.
A combination of new snow, wind, and mild temperatures will form reactive storm slabs at all elevations. Slabs could be particularly touchy in wind-loaded features.
Recently, several small avalanches (size 1 to 1.5) have been reported throughout the region, natural and human-triggered. A prevailing trend is persistent slab avalanches, primarily on southerly-facing aspects, ranging from 20 to 50 cm in depth, while wind slabs have occurred on northerly-facing terrain, typically 20 to 30 cm deep.
With more snow, wind, and warm temperatures in the forecast, we anticipate natural avalanche activity to increase in the coming days.
New snow continues to accumulate atop layers of surface hoar in sheltered terrain and a thin crust on sun-affected slopes, approximately 30 to 50 cm below the surface.
Below these layers, the upper snowpack is largely faceted and poorly bonded with another layer of surface hoar in sheltered terrain and a thin crust on sun-affected slopes. This layer, buried in late January, varies in depth but generally exists within the upper 100 cm of snow.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.
Friday Night
Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Saturday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
