As temperatures cool off, so too will the avalanche activity.
Look for features of concern as you move above the melt-freeze crust.
Wind slabs may be triggered in the alpine. These slabs may step down to deeper persistent layers, triggering larger than expected avalanches.
A weak layer of surface hoar is buried around 30 to 60 cm deep. As temperatures cool off it will become more difficult to trigger this layer.
A crust with weak facets and/or depth hoar exists at the base of the snowpack. This layer is most likely to be triggered in thin snowpack areas.
On Tuesday, there was a widespread avalanche cycle with many small and large (size 1-3) storm slabs and wet loose avalanches. This occurred as freezing levels went to near mountain top.
On Monday, several natural and human-triggered storm slabs (size 1-2) were observed on a variety of aspects and elevations.
Warm temperatures and now cooling are expected to have created a crust up to around treeline. High alpine areas may still be crust free.
At upper elevations, up to 25 cm of recent storm snow has been redistributed by strong southwest winds.
Around 40 to 60 cm of snow overlies a persistent weak layer of surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain, and a sun crust on steep south-facing slopes.
A deep persistent weak layer consisting of a thick melt-freeze crust, with weak faceted snow and/or depth hoar, can be found near the ground in shallow snowpack areas.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear skies. 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Thursday
Sunny. 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level below valley bottom.
Saturday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 2300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
