Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
The region has not received significant snowfall since last week, but there are still some layers of concern in the snowpack.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Caution around convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
- Evaluate unsupported slopes critically.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported on Monday and activity on Sunday was limited to a few small loose avalanches on steep sun-exposed slopes.
On Saturday, a large persistent slab avalanche was reported in the north of the region, failing on the early-March weak layer. It failed on an easterly aspect around treeline. Portions of the avalanche stepped down to sugary facets near the bottom of the snowpack.
Otherwise, there was further evidence of a large natural cycle that occurred on Friday within the recent storm snow, with storm slab and loose dry avalanches. They were small to large (size 1 to 2.5), on all aspects and elevations.
Snowpack Summary
Trace amounts of new snow sit above a variety of crusts on all but high north aspects.
Last week avalanches were failing on weak layers roughly 40 cm below the surface. The weak layers included surface hoar on shaded aspects at high elevations and hard crust layers below treeline.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, weak and sugary facets are found in shallow, rocky snowpack areas. Storm slabs have stepped down to these facets and producing very large avalanches in northern parts of the region.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light wind, freezing level up to 500 m with alpine high temperatures near -10 C.
THURSDAY: Snow starting in the morning with 3-5 cm accumulations by the afternoon, strong south wind, freezing level near valley bottom with alpine high temperatures near -12 C.
FRIDAY: Light flurries with trace amounts of snow, moderate south wind, freezing level climbing up to 600 m with alpine high temperatures near -7 C.
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We have no current information on the status of weak layers that were reactive last week. It may still be possible to trigger large avalanches on layers of surface hoar, crusts, or facets buried roughly 50 cm below the surface.