Use extra caution in north-facing terrain at higher elevations, where wind slabs may be surprisingly reactive due to an underlying surface hoar layer.
Reactive wind slabs persist in steep northerly terrain and may be remotely triggered due to the underlying surface hoar layer.
A faceted lower snowpack presents a persistent slab problem. Weak layers deep in the snowpack may be triggered by cornice fall or on steep features where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
A remotely triggered wind slab avalanche was skier-triggered on Friday on a north-facing slope at approximately 1900 m. The slab failed on the surface hoar layer mentioned in the snowpack summary, buried about 50 cm below the surface.
A second avalanche with very similar characteristics was reported just outside the forecast region in an area with a comparable snowpack.
A variety of surfaces exist across aspects and elevations. Firm, supportive crusts are present at lower elevations and on sun-exposed slopes; these may soften with possible sunny breaks.
In higher-elevation terrain sheltered from sun and wind, a dusting of wind-affected new snow adds to roughly 15 cm of recent snow that overlies a mix of older, wind-affected surfaces.
A weak layer of surface hoar persists 40 to 70 cm below the surface in northerly alpine terrain.
The lower snowpack remains faceted and generally weak, especially in shallow snowpack areas.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 4 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 1 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
