Mixed snow conditions can be found.
Evaluate slopes on an individual basis before committing to them.
Lingering pockets of old wind slabs exist in a variety of lee features. Uncertainty remains around the impact of warming temperatures for Monday. Keep approaching convex and unsupported features with caution.
No new avalanches have been reported in our area lately. Keep sharing your observations via the MIN; it helps strengthen our information gathering.
This weekend, a thin sun crust was formed on steep south-facing slopes. Elsewhere, the surface varies from deeper pockets of wind-affected snow in the alpine and cohesion-less snow at treeline (40-50 cm). Further down in the snowpack, there are reports of a thick melt-freeze crust that produced signs of instabilities earlier this weekend. At around 1000 m the snowpack reaches a depth of around 90 cm.
Lower treeline and below treeline elevation are still below the threshold for avalanches.
An arctic ridge of high pressure will continue to be the main attraction. Conditions will be sunny and dry along with a northerly flow pattern. The next frontal system is expected on Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday Night
Clear sky. Light northeasterly ridge wind. Low of-3 C at treeline. Freezing level lowering to 800 m. Temperature inversion.
Monday
Mostly sunny. No precipitation. Light to moderate northerly ridge wind. High -1 C at treeline. Freezing level lowering to the valley bottom during the day. Possible temperature inversion.
Tuesday
Cloudy. Isolated flurries. 2-5 cm. Northwesterly ridge wind up to 50 km/h. High of -4 C at treeline. Freezing level around 500 m.
Wednesday
Snow 5 cm. Moderate southwesterly ridge wind. High of -5 C at treeline. Freezing level around 700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
