Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Increasing freezing levels and sunny skies are heating the snowpack, with the most warming and highest danger around midday. The best riding will be in areas sheltered from the wind effect and sun, without any overhead exposure.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Start early to stay off south facing slopes during the heat of the day.
- Watch for signs that the snow is heating up such as pin-wheeling and point-releases below cliffs.
- Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where small avalanches can have high consequence.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Strong southerly winds have redistributed the recent storm snow and formed touchy wind slabs. Use caution when entering into lee features.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
Avalanche Summary
Newly formed wind slabs were reactive to skiers and natural activity on Saturday, up to size 1 in direct lee features at treeline. Loose snow was also noted in steep terrain features.
Snowpack Summary
Sustained southerly winds have produced wind slabs in lee features. This overlies a sun crust on solar aspects and a surface hoar and sugary facet layer on sheltered, shady aspects. Expect to find a melt-freeze crust or moist snow below around 1400 m.
A surface hoar and crust layer from January is buried around 80 to 140 cm. This layer still has the potential to be triggered from a thin snowpack spot, or with a large trigger like a cornice fall.
It is unlikely, but may be possible to trigger very large avalanches on facets at the bottom of the snowpack in steep, rocky, and shallow snowpack areas or with large triggers.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Mostly sunny, light to moderate southerly winds, alpine temperature 0 C, freezing level rising to 2000 m.
TUESDAY: Sunny, light to moderate southeasterly winds, alpine temperature 2 C, freezing level 2200 m.
WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, light easterly winds, alpine temperature 0 C, freezing level 1600 m.
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Rising freezing levels and sunny skies will allow for intense warming of the snowpack on solar aspects. Pay close attention to the effects of the sun on avalanche terrain and avoid overhead exposure.