Watch for wind slabs up high. Assess the bond of all the recent snow to the underlying snowpack, as we're getting to a critical depth where riders could trigger slabs that may propagate far.
Wind has varied from southwest to northeast, so wind slabs may be found on all aspects. Use caution entering steep terrain features near ridgelines.
The past week's storm snow is forming a slab that may not bond well to the underlying snowpack. The layer of concern formed mid-November and is composed of faceted grains, surface hoar, and a hard crust.
Avalanche hazard is unlikely anywhere snowpack depths have yet to overcome ground roughness like brush, trees, and rocks.
There have been no recent avalanche observations.
Looking forward, a cooling trend may decrease the likelihood of natural avalanches but riders could trigger wind slabs or the weak layers described in the Snowpack Summary.
Please consider sharing your observations via the Mountain Information Network to help us and fellow recreationists.
Around 40 to 80 cm of snow accumulated over the past week at higher elevations with strong wind originating from the southwest but recently switching to the northeast. The wind has kept severely wind-exposed terrain bare and it has formed wind slabs in lee terrain features.
The storm snow overlies persistent weak layers formed mid-November of sugary faceted grains and surface hoar in sheltered terrain as well as a hard crust on steep sun-exposed slopes. Treeline and lower alpine are the most suspect elevations.
Average snowfall depths are around 20 to 60 cm below treeline and 100 to 120 cm in the alpine.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, 40 km northeast wind, treeline temperature -16 C.
Monday
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, 20 to 40 km/h northeast wind, treeline temperature -18 C.
TuesdayPartly cloudy with no precipitation, 20 km/h southeast wind, treeline temperature -22 C.
WednesdayMostly cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, 40 km/h northeast wind, treeline temperature -21 C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
