Stick to conservative terrain and minimize overhead hazard.
Storm snow likely remains reactive to human triggers, and persistent weak layers hold uncertainty.
A buried layer of surface hoar on a crust has been largely unaffected by rain and warm temperatures so far, particularly concerning in the north of this region.
Higher elevations unaffected by rain still hold reactive, wind affected storm snow. At lower elevations slabs may be moist or wet.
Natural avalanches continue to be reported, with wet avalanches at lower elevations and wind or persistent slabs to size 2.5 at higher elevations.
Activity includes failures in recent storm snow as well as on deeper weak layers such as the early January surface hoar and the late December crust.
Recent storm totals vary from 80-150 cm throughout the region, heavily redistributed by strong southerly winds at upper elevations and settling rapidly from warm temperatures.
At treeline, recent rain and warm temperatures may have affected the surface snow. As freezing levels fall, new snow could accumulate on moist or wet surfaces. Below treeline, the snowpack may be wet down to the ground.
A layer of surface hoar is buried 40 to 70 cm deep in sheltered treeline features. The mid and lower snowpack is well settled with no current layers of concern. Treeline snow depths throughout the region range from 150 cm to 250 cm.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 700 m.
Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 600 m.
Friday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
