Assess for the development of warming-related problems as the day heats up.
Wet loose avalanches may occur on steep sun exposed slopes during the heat of the day. Cornices are also large and may fail naturally or from the weight of a human.
Several naturally triggered loose wet avalanches and cornices released in the past few days. The loose wet avalanches were mostly small and occurred on steep sun-exposed slopes. The cornices released on northerly aspects in the alpine.
Similar avalanches are possible on Friday and Saturday with daytime warming. A cooling trend for Sunday will mean avalanche activity is unlikely, unless sufficient snow accumulates to form new slabs.
Surface hoar crystals grow on settled snow that overlies a hard melt-freeze crust above 1200 m on northerly aspects. The crust is on the surface on sun-exposed slopes and below 1200 m. The crust will transition to moist snow with daytime warming and freeze back into a crust overnight. Sunday's snow will accumulate on these surfaces.
Cornices are large and looming at this time of year.
Thursday Night
Clear skies. 5 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 10 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
