Additional precipitation and warm temperatures bring dangerous avalanche conditions. Small avalanches may step down to underlying weak layers.
New snow combined with wind will form fresh slabs on top of the existing upper snowpack, which contains various potential weak layers. Warming will increase the sensitivity of these layers to triggering.
New moist snow combined with warming will increase the likelihood of wet avalanches. Danger is highest when snow is warmed for the first time.
On Wednesday, a group reported being able to ski cut wet slabs in the forest due to warming temperatures.
Several storm slab (up to size 1.5) avalanches have been reported recently, some have been triggered remotely from up to 10 m away. There are reports of these avalanches sliding on the layer of facets that exist beneath the new snow that formed during the drought in January.
Approximately 20 cm of new snow has accumulated on top of various surfaces formed during recent cold, dry conditions. These include firm wind effect in exposed terrain, weak surface hoar or faceted grains in sheltered terrain, and sun crusts on sun-affected slopes.
20 to 50 cm of generally faceted snow overlies a potentially weak layer buried in late January. In many areas, this layer consists of a hard crust along with weak facets or surface hoar.
The mid and lower snowpack is strong and bonded.
Friday Night
Mainly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.
Saturday
Mainly cloudy with up to 7 mm of mixed precipitation. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Sunday
Mix of sun and cloud with trace precipitation. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1600 m
Monday
Cloudy with 5 to 15 mm of mixed precipitation. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1600 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
