Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Warming and solar radiation will drive the avalanche danger on Monday. Use extra caution in sun-exposed terrain and limit your exposure to large overhead slopes.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.
- Use caution above cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.
Avalanche Problem 2: Deep Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The late October crust lies near the base of the snowpack with a thin layer of weak, sugary snow above it. This layer should be on a strengthening trend, but a heavy trigger in a thin snowpack area or warming may still be enough to cause it to react.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be aware of the possibility for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
- Be especially cautious in shallow snowpack areas where triggering a deeper layer may be easier.
Avalanche Problem 3: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
At elevations where Sunday night's precipitation falls as snow, thin yet dense wind slabs can be expected. Watch for triggering in higher elevation, wind-exposed terrain.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- If triggered, wind slabs may step down to deeper layers and result in large avalanches.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported, however it is expected that warm alpine temperatures and sunshine initiated natural activity on steep solar aspects at higher elevations on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
With the recent temperature inversion, solar and temperature crusts are expected to have formed on sun-exposed slopes, while stiff, stubborn wind slabs linger in lee alpine terrain.
Approximately 30-50 cm of storm snow now overlies two crusts that were buried near the end of November. These crusts are widespread and extend into the alpine. Although snowpack tests have previously shown hard results at these crust interfaces, more recent observations have been limited. Below these crusts, a well settled mid-pack overlies the late October crust near the base of the snowpack. This "crust/facet combo" layer is widespread and has been reactive to rider and remote triggers. It also continues to produce sudden snowpack test results.
Average snowpack depths now total 80-140 cm at treeline elevations and up to 160 cm in the alpine. (Depths of up to 210 cm have been reported from the Howsons.)
Weather Forecast
Sunday night: 3-6mm of precipitation / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at about 2000m
Monday: Mainly clear / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at about 2000m
Tuesday: 2-5cm of new snow / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at 1700m
Wednesday: Mix of sun and cloud / Light and variable winds / Freezing level at 2300m
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With precipitation forecast for Sunday night (and then sun on Monday), I would expect loose wet avalanches to occur, especially in steep, sun-exposed terrain where dry snow is exposed to solar radiation for the first time