Warm temperatures and sunshine continue to create wet and slushy surface snow.
Minimize your exposure to sun exposed slopes - recent storm snow may slide easily on the crust below.
Potential for wet avalanche activity (slab and loose) increases as temperatures rise, but concern is greatest on steep, sun affected slopes. Avalanches may initiate easily on the smooth crust below.
Avalanche activity increased on Friday with warmer temperatures than expected producing wet avalanche activity (photo below).
Wet avalanche activity is expected to continue as temperatures warm even further on Sunday and strong sunshine is expected.
Around 30 cm of recent snowfall sits above a widespread crust. This snow is moist to wet from recent sunshine and warm temperatures and is settling rapidly. Wind effect can be found at higher elevations.
Reports indicated that the new snow is bonding well with the old snow surface. However Sundays warm temperatures and strong sunshine may weaken this bond and initiate avalanche activity.
At low elevations the snowpack is likely decreasing with each day of warm weather.
Saturday Night
Clear skies. 30-50 km/h northerly ridgetop wind. Freezing level steady around 1600 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 30-50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level begins the day at 1600 m and rises to 3000 m by afternoon, bringing treeline temperatures to +12 °C.
Monday
Sunny with 50 km/h northwest winds. Freezing levels remain around 3000 m with treeline temperatures near +12 °C.
Tuesday
Sunny with 50 km/h southwest winds. Freezing levels remain around 3000 m with treeline temperatures near +12 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
