Northwest Inland

Spring conditions typically means the hazard is highest during the heat of the afternoon. Cornices and loose wet sluffing are spring problems which can be expected on Saturday. Wind slabs may also still be lingering in high elevation leeward terrain.

A mix of sun and cloud is expected for Saturday. Alpine winds are expected to be moderate from the northwest in the morning and ease in the afternoon. Freezing levels are expected to climb to around 2000m. A mix of sun and cloud is expected for Sunday with light alpine winds and afternoon freezing levels around 2000m. A mix of sun and cloud is forecast for Monday with the possibility of very light scattered flurries and afternoon freezing levels around 1700m.

Data has become very limited for the region as we move into the spring and a lack of reported avalanche observations does not mean avalanches are not occurring. On Wednesday, loose wet avalanches were reported on sun exposed slopes and glide cracks are reported to be moving and opening. Over the weekend, loose wet sluffing is expected on steep sun exposed slopes and cornices will become weak with daytime warming and sun exposure. Lingering wind slabs may still be reactive in exposed high elevation terrain.

Data has become very limited for this region and some of the following is extrapolated from the NW Coastal region. A moist or wet surface snow is expected on all aspects at all elevations. A surface crust is expected to form Friday overnight as temperatures drop but this crust may break down during the day with warm temperatures and sun exposure. A widespread crust layer from the last period of major warming sits below the storm snow from earlier in the week. This snow is expected to be settling rapidly and generally bonding well to the crust below. Prior to the current warm conditions, strong southerly and westerly winds promoted cornice growth and formed wind slabs which may still be lingering in leeward terrain features at the highest elevations. A few deeply buried weak layers exist within the snowpack including a widespread crust/facet layer buried in February down around 1m and weak basal facets at the bottom of the snowpack. The near-surface crust has dramatically limited the reactivity of these destructive old layers and they have become dormant; however, they have the potential for isolated yet very large avalanches with prolonged periods of warming and solar radiation.