Lizard-Flathead

Snowfall amounts for Friday night are uncertain. If the new snow amount is locally 30 cm or more the avalanche danger will be HIGH. Click here for summary of the current conditions and what to expect with some new snow.

Low - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Saturday

FRIDAY Night: Snow, accumulation 15-25 cm, moderate to strong southwest winds, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level 1100 m.SATURDAY: Cloudy with flurries, accumulation up to 5 cm, light to moderate southwest winds, alpine temperature -2 C, freezing level 1300 m.SUNDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, light east winds, alpine temperature -20 C.MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light east wind, alpine temperature -25.

A small wind slab avalanche was triggered by a skier on Thursday on an easterly aspect. The likelihood of triggering avalanches is expected to increase with incoming snow with strong southwest winds. Click here to see a recent Instragram post regarding the sensitivity of a recently buried weak layer of surface hoar in the Flathead.

New snow Friday night is expected to fall with strong southwest winds. Expect to find new wind slabs form in lee and cross-loaded terrain features near ridges. The new snow will overly feathery surface hoar crystals, previously wind-affected snow, and a melt-freeze crust on southerly aspects.Buried around 20 to 50 cm, a weak layer of surface hoar may be found on shady and sheltered slopes. Use added caution between 1500 m and 1900 m, where this layer is most prominent. On southerly aspects, the snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust all the way to the mountain tops.The remainder of the snowpack is generally well-settled. Thin snowpack areas, such as in the east of the region, may find weak and sugary faceted grains near the base of the snowpack.