Weak layers buried in the snowpack may be nearing a tipping point and becoming reactive. Avoid large, steep slopes, where the risk of a step-down avalanche is highest.
New snow and westerly winds continue to create fresh wind slabs in leeward and cross-loaded terrain. Wind slabs have the potential to step down to weak layers buried deeper in the snowpack.
Weak layers formed in January and February may linger in the upper snowpack. Although these layers have not produced a lot of avalanches locally, they have been very active to the south and may become more reactive as new snow loads them.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 8 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
On Tuesday, a large (size 3.5) avalanche was observed just south of Highway 16. While visibility was limited, it is suspected that the avalanche failed on a persistent weak layer and ran full path (~1km).
Over the weekend, evidence of a large avalanche cycle was reported in the Blue River area, initiated by stormy conditions late last week and strong solar effects over the weekend, up to size 4.
Light snow beginning on Tuesday will bury a variety of old surfaces, including wind-affected snow in exposed terrain at higher elevations, a thin sun crust of south-facing slopes, and moist snow at lower elevations.
A layer of surface hoar, facets, and/or crust from late January is buried roughly 140 cm deep.
The remainder of the snowpack is consolidated with no layers of concern.
