Fresh wind slabs will develop with the new snow and wind.
It is still possible for small avalanches to step down to weak layers deep in the snowpack and produce large destructive avalanches.
Surface hoar and facets buried in the upper snowpack have produced recent avalanche activity. Large loads or step-down avalanches may initiate avalanches on the February layer buried deeper in the snowpack.
Expect deeper and more reactive deposits on north-facing slopes. Storm slabs may step down to wind-affected snow below, or buried weak layers.
On Monday, several naturally triggered persistent slab avalanches to size 2.5 were reported. Natural and rider-triggered wind slabs to size 2 were also reported on south-facing slopes.
Storm snow will accumulate over wind affected surfaces at higher elevations, with deeper deposits expected in north facing terrain features. Older wind slabs likely still linger below, found on all aspects. Lower elevations will receive a mix of rain and wet snow.
Two layers of concern currently exist in the upper-mid snowpack. Surface hoar on a crust can be found 20 to 60 cm deep. And a layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust from mid-February is buried 50 to 100 cm deep.
The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated with no current concerns.
Thursday Night
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 900 m.
Friday
Cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 900 m.
Saturday
Cloudy with 5cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C as freezing levels rise to 1000 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C, freezing levels rise to 1000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
