With snowfall easing across most areas on Thursday, continue to exercise caution as storm slabs settle and stabilize.
Many areas have experienced significant storm snow accumulation recently, forming widespread storm slabs. Expect slabs to be largest and most reactive at higher elevations in wind-loaded terrain.
Reports from Monday suggest that the recent storm snow was reactive to skier traffic, either as loose dry avalanches or soft storm slabs. Producing avalanches up to size 2.
One natural wind slab avalanche, along with a few explosive-triggered avalanches, was reported on Sunday, up to size 3, in steep terrain near ridge crests.
With continued snow and wind, we anticipate both natural and rider-triggered avalanches to remain likely.
Variable amounts of snow continue to accumulate across the region. At higher elevations and exposed terrain, winds are redistributing the new snow into deeper deposits on leeward and cross-loaded slopes.
A crust formed in February exists at variable depths, generally 50 to 120 cm below the surface. In isolated, wind-sheltered areas, weak surface hoar may be present atop this crust.
The remainder of the snowpack is consolidated with no significant layers of concern.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 15 to 25 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 15 to 30 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 70 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
